Letters from the Front
by JRush
Summary: This takes place before "White Knight". Harry is off on one of his Red Court expiditions and finds something strange in the jungle. This is Not part of the Angels Among us Story line.
1. Chapter 1

Letters from the Front

A/N: This story doesn't have Lash in it. I'm taking a break from that storyline to write this, which I've wanted to do for a little while. Many thanks to Grimelark, for his story ideas and beta reading. He keeps me honest. With that I hope you all enjoy this story.

** Disclaimer: The Dresden Files is copyright Jim Butcher. This story is licensed under the Creative Commons as derivative, noncommercial fiction.**

Ch 1

Dear Molly,

I'm not sure why I'm writing to you, except to let you know that I'm alive and okay. Please be sure to let your parents, Murphy, Thomas and the Alpha's know I'm alright.

I can't tell you where we are but I can tell you it's hotter than Hades here. I don't know where all the bugs come from but I stopped killing them and started naming them. I'm thinking if I can train them to gather dinner for me it would save me a lot of time and believe me they're big enough to hunt. I really miss dinners with your family, what passes for food here most of the insects won't eat.

We've been at this location for a few days and are trying to stay under cover as much as possible. Luckily we haven't run into any vampires, but the week's young. We're planning a raid soon and are just staging troops and equipment, scouting and doing recon in the area before we move on to the hot spot. It's the closest thing we've had to down time for the last month so I'm enjoying the relative peace and quiet.

Something interesting happened today while I was on patrol. It started out like any other patrol, we split into groups of two and were given our sectors to scout/patrol. We were going deeper into the jungle to get an idea what the landscape was like farther out and scout for any red court activity. I was paired with a young woman named Shilpa. She's a few years younger than you and is fresh out of warden school. We were out in the bush for maybe two hours when I felt something odd. It was a tingle up my spine but not a vampire tingle, it was different.

Shilpa hadn't noticed anything but I was sure I had…

…..

My mind filled with the images and memories of the last few days as I tried to pick out the highlights and details that I would share with my apprentice. I wanted to let her know what was going on but still didn't want to add too much. I didn't want the grasshopper or my friends to worry and there are some things she just doesn't need to know about...

She stood next to me, her long dark hair pulled back into a sensible bun with her bangs hanging down almost to her eyebrows. The bun was held in place with what could have been chopsticks, but they were thicker. Her fatigues were loose on her as she is a slight thing, she's almost Murphy's height and I don't think combat gear comes in ladies extra small. The belt around her small waist was the only thing that hinted at her feminine figure as the side arm on her hip implied at the curves hidden by the overly large camouflage jacket.

"Just close your eyes breathe and reach out with your senses and tell me if you notice anything." I said calmly standing next to a large canopy tree in the dense under growth.

"I think I can." She said with a heavy Indian accent. "It's like a tickle or a flutter about a hundred meters to the North." She said quietly.

"Yeah, that's what I was picking up too. It doesn't feel like a vampire, it feels like magic. We should check it out." I told her reaching out with my wizard senses in other directions to make sure this wasn't a trap.

I didn't sense any vampires or other humans in the area but I did feel something subtle like old power or a weak lay line. Either way we had to check it out. Some vampires in the Red Court could use magic and if this was a ward or some sort of magical trip wire, we had to know about it.

"But Wizard Dresden, if we leave our patrol route and something happens they won't know where we have gone." She said in a properly logical voice. Newbies, you gotta love them, always wanting to do everything by the book. I helped write the book so I didn't feel bad ignoring it.

"Not a problem." I told her as I drew in magic and pointed my blasting rod at the tree I was just leaning against. Forzare, I whispered and a lance of force hit the tree, blowing bark loose as I pulled it across the tree and drew a fairly neat looking arrow, pointing towards the anomaly. "There, now they know where we went." I said holstering my blasting rod.

"You're the senior wizard, so after you Warden Dresden." Shilpa gave me a pretty grimace and folded her arms over her chest. Once again I noticed that her clothes really didn't do her justice.

"Call me Harry and trust me, everything is going to be just fine." I told her in my most agreeable tone.

We headed off through the undergrowth of the jungle, or actually I think it's properly called a rain forest. Either way it had bugs and snakes and a lot of things that could kill you as easily as a vampire, they were just a lot harder to spot.

The Machete gleamed and whistled as it spun from one side to the other, slicing a clean path through the dense vegetation. Every few whacks I'd stop and take notice to make sure I hadn't disturbed a snake or some spider and then we'd continue. In all it took about forty-five minutes to get to the area in question. We could have made better time but with a young and inexperienced warden with me, I wanted to make sure we went as safely as possible. That and she was really cute, not that I noticed her high cheek bones, full lips or glossy jet black hair and almond shaped brown eyes. Yeah, even in the jungles with no makeup she was striking, but I didn't notice.

I learned really fast that there's a difference between being tough and stupid down here. Not drinking and resting isn't macho it's a death sentence and you don't notice that you're exhausted until it's too late. We had a couple of the younger guys pass out on patrol a few months ago. One of the groups was jumped by a group of vampires while the senior Warden was trying to revive the younger one. If Carlos wasn't on his game that day, they'd both be dead now. So we now stop at least once an hour, Captain's orders.

As we got closer we stopped in a small clearing to rest and drink, you have to drink a lot down here because you can get dehydrated really quickly in this humidity. I checked the area for hazards and squished a spider and torched a rather large poisonous snake. Shilpa raised some wards to encourage any predators or reptiles to go the other way, and then we sat down and pulled out our canteens. As we sat and drank in silence I stretched out my senses again and could feel the faint thrum of power in the same spot we had felt it earlier. Now that we were closer I could sense that it wasn't a ward or alarm, but some sort of charm. It was hard to get a read on it as it was ancient and subtle but it was still active and strong.

I turned to Shilpa as she was pouring some water over the back of her neck. "I want you to reach out with your senses and tell me if you can feel that. I want you to examine it with your senses and tell me if you know what it is."

"I will be happy to try but I'm sure that you are much better at that sort of thing than I. You are the senior Warden, sir." She said respectfully, but I still heard older when she said senior, I'm not that old. As she spoke she didn't look and me and let her bangs hide her face as she looked into her cup of water, I wasn't sure but I thought I noted a hint of scarlet on her cheeks.

"True and I've got a lot more experience in a fight than you do, but I'm not good with subtle magic and I think you might get a better read on it than I do." I told her honestly.

This time she definitely blushed and gave me a timid smile at the miniscule compliment. Then she closed her eyes and slowed her breathing, sitting cross legged, her back went straight and her chin came up as she reached out with her senses. I could feel a cool breeze as she probed the area using just a tiny bit of power to reach out.

"It's not a ward…" She said curiously after a few minutes then paused again. "I don't believe it's any sort of an observation or alarm magic either." She continued as her brows began to draw together. "It's old. Very old. I believe that it's some sort of growth magic, making the area fertile and encouraging the plants to grow." She finished finally lowering her head and opening her eyes.

"Outstanding, that's very good." I said giving her a smile. "I knew you could do it."

At this the slight crimson in her cheeks darkened into a cherry red and she dropped her face.

"Thank you Warden Dre, I mean Harry. I recognized it because in my country we have similar magic near our fields to ensure a good harvest. They are usually accompanied by temples or small shrines. The prayers and offerings help to strengthen the magic and ensure continued success." She explained looking at her boots and flicking dried mud off the sides as she spoke.

"So you think that this was once an agricultural area? I wonder if there are any temples nearby. I've always wanted to see one. I've seen pictures of them and would love to see one up close." I told her remembering seeing pictures that Billy had printed out for props on game night and remembered thinking how cool it would be to walk through one.

"That may be the case as the magic is very strong. An active shrine in my town usually doesn't feel nearly as strong as this. We can assume that no offerings have been made in a few hundred years by the look of the area so it would have to have been a special place with a lot of power imbued in it." She said logically. Cute and smart, I had to be sure that Carlos stayed away from her.

"So do you think it's worth checking out?" I asked. "If it's in decent shape it might make for a good shelter or base of operations." I said thinking of the rebel base that they launched the attack on the Death Star from.

"The area is thick with vegetation and the charm is still active, I wonder why the people left this area?" Shilpa asked rhetorically.

"It could have been because of war or disease, who knows? There could be a million reasons why they left." I said quietly thinking through my inadequate knowledge of the local area's history.

"Harry, I have a bad feeling about this." She said worry clouding her face.

"It's an abandoned temple, we go take a look, make sure that there's nothing else there and head back to camp to report. What could go wrong?" I asked confidently, mentally drooling at the thought of being the first person in who knows how long to see the temple. The thought of turning back now was like fighting traffic all the way to Disney Land and not going on the rides. It was just wrong. Anyhow, they went to the trouble to build the thing, we may as well admire it.

"You _**are**_ the senior Warden." She reminded me, again. By her tone she was making sure that I understood that if anything went wrong, she was going to blame me. Somehow the look of uncertainty and skepticism on her heart shaped face made her look adorable. Definitely have to keep her away from Carlos…

With that we gathered and stored our gear and hacked our way deeper into the jungle. Soon we were standing at the foot of a large stone structure. It looked like a very steep albeit somewhat small pyramid. Even overgrown in bushes, vines and small trees, the structure was impressive. It stood a good seventy feet tall and the stairway leading up the steep side to the top was still visible.

The stones that made up the sides were massive, at least four feet per side and they were made of gray granite. Even aged and untended the visible stone shone with a smooth polished finish. The steps were made of the same material but were built so that each step was maybe a foot tall and rested on the stone beneath it.

We slowly made our way up the side of the temple and as we started to rise above the under growth, looking around I could see other structures as well, some wide and squat others taller maybe two or three stories tall. The complex although old and overgrown seemed to be in fairly decent shape.

Having taken up jogging I was in pretty good shape but Shilpa didn't seem to be used to so much physical activity so we stopped once about two thirds of the way up the temple and from that vantage point we could see what must have been a moderate sized city in ancient days with dozens of buildings and wide streets, now filled with bushes and trees but in its day this must have been an impressive place. After a few minutes and a few more sips of water we continued to the top.

The top of the temple was a large rectangular terrace with a large rectangular room enclosed at the top. There were no windows and only one set of doors leading in. They were large ornate golden doors, carved with symbols and pictographs that must have been the language of the civilization that created the temple but meant nothing to me. As I came close I could feel a faint thrum of magic coming from the doors themselves. I reached out my senses and could feel wards and seals keeping the doors closed. I couldn't make out what the wards were intended to do besides keep the doors shut but I could had the sinking impression that anyone who tried to open these doors would get a particularly nasty surprise.

I was excited as I stood on the top of the ancient temple looking over the city and tried to imagine what it must have been like to live there when the city was alive with noise and people going about their daily business. I could feel the warm sun beating down on my back as I took in the view. I could feel that this was a peaceful and happy city. That many people had lived, worked, loved and died here in its time. A home or building can have a threshold, a barrier that keeps out thing that go bump in the night and can weaken or completely stop magic from entering it. It also holds echoes of the past and the history of the place and people who lived there in its walls and under its roof. A city can take on a similar energy, a culmination of the strength of the energies in the city. This one had what felt like a strong, wholesome energy about it. It was faint and worn but it was there. The more I took in I noticed that there was something more. Just barely discernable but it was definitely there. There was an undercurrent of pain, fear and regret. I couldn't exactly describe it but I had the impression that something drove the people from the city. Their homes taken from them, the city once great and prosperous had come to a sudden and bad ending.

Shilpa and I spent about an hour at the top of the temple trying to decipher the wards and writing on the doors with no luck. Finally agreeing that we had completed what we had set out to do, we descended down the temple. We stood at its base as the sun began to dip into the western sky.

"We should be getting back and let them know what we found here." I told Shilpa, who quickly agreed.

"Something about this place gives me the creeps." She said quietly as we turned and headed back the way we had come.

It took us about two hours but we finally made it back to the camp before dark. It was little more than a collection of large dark tarp tents around a central space where we cooked meals and had a large fire at night. The command tent was in the center near the supply tent and cooking area. It made it easier for our leaders to keep their coffee jugs filled and was a central location in the camp. The outer tents were mostly personal quarters for the troops. Because the tents were Korean War surplus, you could easily fit three people into each. Carlos and I shared a tent because we were senior wardens and nobody else could sleep through Carlos's snoring. Because one of us was usually picked for night guard duty or patrols we didn't see a lot of each other and it made sleeping a lot easier.

Since we had little to nothing in the way of entertainment, we usually gathered around the fire near the command tent to drink coffee and talk. The senior wardens usually planned our next moves or worked on schedules for patrols, chores and so on. Everyone else shared war stories, stories about home and their families and basically relaxed as time allowed.

"Dresden, can we have a word please." Anastasia said as we neared the command tent.

"Sure thing Captain Luccio." I said as I followed her voice into the tent.

"Where the hell have you been? You're an hour past check in time. I was about to send a search party after you." She said sternly turning to face me.

Mouse lifted his head from under the large table that took up the center of the room as I came in and gave a slight sneeze which I took as a greeting since his tail was gently wagging. The table was covered in papers and maps and a fine tea cup sat on its dainty saucer near one corner.

Anastasia's face was red and her voice was harsh but something in her eyes gave away the fact that she was actually worried about me. She was older than me but in an odd twist of fate ended up in a coed's body. She was beautiful before but with her confidence and determination in a twenty something body, she was irresistible. We have been 'dating' for a few months now, but especially in such close quarters are working hard to keep it quiet.

"Captain, I'm sorry but we found something interesting while on patrol." I told her.

"Really? What could be so interesting that you'd keep a young warden out till nearly night fall?" She said her voice hard and a little accusatory. "Although we haven't run into any vampires yet out here, doesn't mean they aren't here. Also do you know what kind of predators come out at night here?" She continued to scold.

"I know and we were back well before night fall." I said as the last rays of light touched the tops of the canopy trees and the clouds started to turn magenta and purple. "But I think this may have been worth it."

"What did you find that's so important Harry?"

"How does a lost city hit you?" I asked smugly.

Anastasia lifted one eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest. "A lost city? We have fifty people here and nobody noticed a city? Care to explain?"

"It's covered in bushes and vines, if you aren't standing right there, you wouldn't likely notice it. Hence the LOST part." I said a little snarky. "We climbed a temple and could see dozens of buildings that we could use for store houses. The other buildings we could use to sleep in and the place is a hell of a lot more defensible than this clearing." I finished

"So you're serious?" She said looking a little surprised.

"Yeah, granted they're a little run down and will take some digging out but we're wizards, a little magic and poof, rebel base." I said grinning like an idiot.

"Rebel base huh?" She said skeptical. "It would be easier to defend ourselves with actual stone walls between us and a group of red court mercenaries, or a red court hit squad." She seemed to actually be giving the idea some thought.

"What was inside the temple?" she asked pointedly.

"I'm not sure, there were huge golden doors covered in writing. I could sense a sealing magic and wards so I didn't push my luck." I said intelligently.

"That doesn't sound like you." She said with a smirk.

"I had a newbie with me and it was getting late. I figured we could go back in the morning and see what's what. Even if we don't get into the temple the other buildings should be easily accessible and give us someplace dry and out of the open to sleep and store our equipment until we are ready to move against the Red Court. We could even set up wards and have a secure perimeter." I said, having thought this conversation through all the way back to camp.

"You just want to play Indiana Jones." She said with a smirk. She waved her hand and the flaps to the tent closed as the covers for the windows also fell to cover the openings.

"He always gets the prettiest girls." I said with a wink stepping closer to my superior, sliding my arm around her waist.

"Hmmm, but I get to carry the whip." She said leaning into me and wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Whip you say?" I said looking deeply into her eyes as I moved forward and pressed my lips into hers.

…..

So after my debriefing with Captain Luccio we decided to give the place a closer look in the morning. I'm not sure when I'll be able to send this but I wanted to at least drop you a note. I'll keep you posted on what happens.

Be sure to give my best to your family.

Sincerely,

Harry

P.S. Thanks for taking care of Mister for me while I'm away!


	2. Chapter 2

"Letters from the Front"

**A/N:** Reposting after fixing a few minor errors (spelling and grammar).

Chapter 2

Dear Molly,

Sorry I haven't written in a few days but we've been really busy here. We've had a couple of people go missing and have been searching for them. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about as it's easy to get lost out here if you're not careful. That and it's wardens we are talking about here, they should turn up soon.

….

"Warden Dresden… I mean Harry. It's been over an hour we should stop." Shilpa said firmly.

"You tired?" I asked over my shoulder as the machete sliced through a small sapling sending it toppling to the ground to my right.

"If it helps, yes. You've been slicing through the underbrush like a dervish for an hour. You won't be able to help them if you pass out yourself." She said a little perturbed.

"Well if you're tired, we should stop." I said wiping the sweat out of my face with my sleeve. "You should have said something earlier. There was some sort of fruit tree back there. We could have had a snack." I said turning to face her.

"I did say something earlier, you didn't answer." She said as she raised some wards around the area.

"Really? I didn't hear you over the falling brush." I said as I laid the Machete on the ground next to me, feeling the calluses growing as its grip fell from my grasp. I rubbed my hand as Shilpa pulled her canteen off her webbed belt and poured a yellowish gray liquid into it.

"That's not water." I said surprised. Her eyes widened like that of a child caught doing something they weren't supposed to and her eyes darted to me.

"It's tea. Would you like some?" she asked as she offered me the cup.

"Captain Luccio said water. Tea won't hydrate you like water will." I said accepting the cup, smelling the fragrant and sweet aroma as I lifted it to my lips. It was sweet and I could taste cardamom and something else, ginger perhaps. It was very sweet a little thick but tasted wonderful. I felt a small rush of energy as the liquid slipped down my throat.

"It's a green tea with some spices and such." She said sheepishly.

"Did you slip an energy potion in that as well?" I asked feeling my sore limbs becoming stronger and the fatigue and tedium clear from my head.

"Oh no, I wouldn't do that. They are good for the short term but you crash hard when they wear off. It would be foolhardy to use one on patrol in case it wore off before you returned to camp." She said in earnest and almost offended that I would suggest such a thing. "But there are other herbs for flavor and some give the benefit of endurance." She said quietly.

"Endurance you say?" I said rubbing my hand feeling the soreness ebb away.

"Well you are one of the energetic senior wardens. I just want to be sure I can keep up." She said as she sipped the tea.

"Well it tasted great and I do feel better, but you should still drink some water." I said pulling an extra water bottle from my pack and tossing it next to her. As we spoke the breeze shifted and the smell of something rank drifted in on the breeze. It smelled like a sewer pipe blew open in a slaughter house.

Shilpa covered her nose and fought back her gag reflex. I could see fear cloud her face as she was having a visceral reaction to the smell of death. That's not an uncommon reaction for a person the first time the encounter death, even if it's just the smell. I think all animals, including humans, instinctively know that smell and are hardwired to fear it. It could be a genetic memory of predators and scavengers gnawing on a dead carcass that keeps us away as a coping or avoidance mechanism to keep us from joining the unfortunate creature as something's lunch.

I felt for her, she was young and should be at a high school or college sports event, not in a tropical jungle hunting nightmares. I could sense her panic, although well controlled I knew her instincts were screaming at her, telling her what that smell was.

"Shilpa, you stay here and raise more wards. I'm going to find out what that is. Stay calm, it's probably a dead boar or something but I want you to stay here. Got it?" I said as my own instincts were starting to kick in. Protect the girl, find and mitigate the danger. I could feel my adrenaline start to kick in a little as holstered my blasting rod and pulled my staff from my pack.

"Harry, you can't go alone. We aren't supposed to split up." She said quietly, her voice tinged with fear.

"Normally I'd agree with you, but I need you to do as you're told. Get your gun and blasting rod ready, just in case and get to work on those wards." I told her firmly.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." I told her as I grabbed the machete and headed off in the direction of the smell. "If I'm not back in fifteen minutes, head back to camp as fast as you can."

"Agreed and Harry… Be safe." She said timidly still scared but now also worried.

"I'll be fine, you be careful." I said a little too cocky as I trudged into the undergrowth.

It took me about five minutes to find the source of the smell and it wasn't a pretty scene. It was one of the missing wardens. I felt my stomach roll and felt a rush of horror seeing how he died. By the fringe on the cape and size of the body I could tell it was the younger of the missing wardens. His body was mangled as if it had been rolled under a freight train. Bones and organs were exposed where the flesh had been punctured or completely stripped away. There was blood splatter on the trees and bushes as well as an oval of reddish brown dried blood on the ground where he had bled out. I've seen a lot of crime scenes in my time and somehow it didn't look like there was enough blood. Granted it may have soaked into the ground quickly and that could explain it, but still I had expected more with the types of injuries he had. The muscle along the thighs and stomach were mostly gone and the teeth marks in the skin and muscle that remained spoke of a large predator having fed on the body.

There were reports and rumors of panthers in the area, although they were said to be extinct in this area. If there were a few left around here that would account for the teeth marks but not for the broken and crushed limbs. The attack could very well have been done by a troll or maybe a ghoul, but there weren't supposed to be any in the area. Something just wasn't right about this. Either we didn't have all the facts about the area or there was something else going on.

I put away my machete and drew my staff and carefully drew a triangle around the body, and then I drew a circle around the triangle. I added runes and symbols around the circle and then pushed magic into my staff and touched the end to the circle giving it life. This should serve to keep scavengers and other predators away from the kill and would work as a marker so we could find the scene more easily later. Then I turned back to the path I had cut in the brush and went to join my partner.

"Harry, is that you?" Shilpa shouted as I pushed through the thick undergrowth. Even with a path cut the tree and bush branches nearly obscured the path before I could return.

"It's me. I found it." I said as I came around a tree to see Shilpa holding her blasting rod in her right hand and a sig 9mm in the other, both pointed in my direction. She noticeably relaxed as she saw me and lowered her weapons.

"You scared me." She said holstering her gun.

"Sorry, next time I'll wear a cow bell." I said giving her a smile.

"There shouldn't be a next time. From now on we stay together like we're supposed to." She said determinedly giving me a reproachful look. Then more timidly she asked, "What did you find? Was it a boar like you thought?"

"No, it wasn't. It was one of the missing wardens and something you didn't need to see." I told her calmly.

"You don't need to protect me, Harry. I'm a warden now." She said jutting out her jaw as her shoulders went back.

"You're a new warden. I know you're smart and capable, but there are some things nobody needs to see. It wasn't pretty and I wouldn't know who it was if it wasn't for his cape. Hell I wish I hadn't seen it and I've been to hundreds of crime scenes. You can be as ticked off at me as you want, but trust me, you don't want those nightmares." I told her.

Her eyes went wide and water began to fill them, threatening to unleash a torrent of tears. I felt rotten when I saw the hurt and fear on her face and worst of all I made her cry. Then she rubbed her face before a tear could fall and then she gathered her things. Finally she turned to me, her face soft and vulnerable, "I'm sorry Harry, I shouldn't have said that. I'm sure you were doing what you thought was best."

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have left you alone, it was wrong. I know what it's like to grow up too fast but at the same time, you are a warden and you'll be a damned good one if I'm not mistaken." I told her with a bit of a smile.

Then I put my hand on her shoulder as I continued with a serious look on my face, "You'll be seeing horrific things all too soon, but I'm sure you'll find a way to deal with it. Just don't bottle it up or let it change who you are. Because, if you ever walk onto a scene like that and it doesn't make you sick inside, you know it's time to quit."

"Thank you Harry." She said putting her hand on mine as she turned her face to me with a tentative smile. "It means a lot coming from you."

I felt a flush run through my body as she stepped closer, still looking into my face. Her hand felt very soft and warm as she gently squeezed mine. I slid my had off her shoulder and out from under her hand and patted her on the head, ruffling her silky black hair.

"I just call them as I see them." I said in a business as usual tone as I turned to gather my pack and put my staff back into the sling I fashioned across the back of my pack. "We should be getting back to let the Captain know what we found."

Somehow I got the impression that a pat on the head wasn't the response she had expected as the trip back to camp was very quiet and less than comfortable. Which didn't bother me in the slightest, the less said about this incident and the fewer people who knew about it, the better as far as I was concerned. Still I couldn't shake the feeling of her eyes boring a hole in the back of my skull all the way back to camp. Somehow this feeling was a little more than familiar.

As we entered camp there was a commotion coming from the area of the command tent. As we neared I could hear Captain Luccio barking out orders.

"Dresden and Gupta, you're going to stay in camp while we go investigate the body." She said firmly.

"Body? You found one too?" I asked.

"Too? Did you find the other missing warden?" She asked with a sad curiosity in her voice.

"We did, that's why we're back early." I replied.

"That's just great. Now we have two dead wardens. I was hoping that when we only found one body that the other had gotten away." Captain Luccio looked drained and disappointed at the same time.

"Where is the body you found?" She asked mechanically.

"It's about a twenty minute walk to the South Southwest." I told her pointing in the direction we had come from. "We marked it and put up wards to keep scavengers away. You shouldn't have any problems finding it." I told her.

"Dresden, follow me. Everyone else stand by." She said marching into the command tent.

"Show me where you found him." She said worriedly, as she pulled a large map in front of me.

"About here." I said pointing to the map.

"We found the other here." She said pointing to another spot on the map a ways to the Northwest of camp. The two spots were almost in directly opposite sides from the camp. "It doesn't make sense. "

"Maybe they are trying to confuse us. Keep us from guessing which direction they're coming from." I offered.

"Maybe, but that makes me wonder who, "They" are." She said motioning with her hands to make air quotes.

"Good question, because after seeing what was left of the body of the younger warden I don't think it was a red court vampire." I told her.

"That's what the other wardens said as well. The body was too mangled to tell who it was. If we hadn't found his gem studded staff we'd still be wondering who it was. The Red Court doesn't mind playing rough but they usually don't tend to waste their supper by letting it spill all over a rain forest." She concluded.

"True, but even if some forest predator got the jump on a senior warden, I really doubt it would get the better of him." I said.

"I agree. Another thing is that they found his staff leaning against a tree a few feet away from his body, like he just set it there." She said her brows knitting. "If he was following a noise into the forest at night, why didn't he tell anyone? Why go alone and why leave your best weapon leaning against a tree?"

"I don't know, it sounds pretty fishy to me. Why would two wardens go wondering off after dark all by themselves, two nights in a row?" I asked.

"Harry, I don't like this. Do you think something could be clouding their minds or controlling them?" She asked concerned.

"Doubtful, we have wards up to detect spells and everyone here should be trained well enough to notice a mental attack. At the least they should have let out a yell if they are being attacked, mentally or physically." I countered.

"I agree. I really don't like this." She said firmly.

"Do you think it could be something like a will-o-the-wisp? Could it be something that doesn't magically force them to go but tricks them into investigating?" I offered.

"You think it's the ignis fatuus? That could possibly explain it, but why would they follow a lantern into the woods by themselves in the dark? It makes as much sense as anything else, but I don't know, I think we're reaching on that one." She said turning the idea over in her head.

"So what's the plan Captain?" I asked.

"For now we recover the bodies and get them back to Edinburgh and let them try to figure out what killed them. Then we double the guard and go over the rules firmly with everyone and use the buddy system. No wandering off alone especially at night. Since they were both taken alone, maybe keeping everyone together is our best defense." She said finally.

"That makes sense." I said. "I can take a Carlos and another warden to gather the body we found. Why don't you keep Shilpa and the rest of the junior wardens in camp for now, it will be getting dark soon and we don't need them in the bush with us if we don't make it back before night fall." I suggested.

"Shilpa is it? You must mean Warden Gupta? Are you trying to protect her Harry?" Anastasia asked half serious half joking.

"She's my partner and she's inexperienced. So yes I want to protect her, because we'll need her and every other warden when we raid the Red Court stronghold." I retorted.

"Hmmm. I knew you liked them young but she's younger than your apprentice. Should I worry about her too now?" She asked pushing my buttons.

"You know it's nothing like that so I'm not going to dignify that with a response!" I told her.

"Well, actually, you just did. Don't worry Harry. I'm not intimidated by that girl. If I thought you were that easily taken in I'd have no respect for you at all." She said with a devilish smile on her face as she walked past me, waving her arm and opening the flaps to the doorway and windows in the tent.

"Listen up people, new orders." Captain Luccio said loudly at the mouth of the tent. "Ramirez, Hansen, you're with Dresden. Salvador, Puri, You're with me. The rest of you stay in camp and group up, we're going to the buddy system." She paused to take a breath and give everyone firm looks.

"Nobody goes anywhere alone, not even to the latrine. Sgt. Dixon, we're doubling the number of wardens on watch for the foreseeable future, so I need you to revise the schedule before I get back. Also whoever is on KP tonight, I don't smell dinner yet. That's it people, let's get moving!"

With that we set out in opposite directions. Luccio and her two wardens and me with Carlos and another senior warden I didn't know very well. We took turns cutting through the underbrush and mostly followed the path of destruction I had cut earlier in the day. It took a while but soon we were in the small clearing with the body lying in a circle. But the circle wasn't functioning anymore and it looked like the body had been half dragged out of the circle and the left arm was missing.

Carlos gave me a worried look as I pointed out the branch that lay over the edge of circle, breaking it and disabling wards that it had held.

"A wind could have blown it there." He said rationalizing it away.

"Maybe, but did the wind chew the branch loose?" I asked pointing to the splintered end of the branch.

"Let's get him and get out of here." Carlos said quietly as Hansen rolled out the body bag and passed out latex gloves. The gloves were more to keep the goo and blood off our hand more than anything else. It wasn't like the body wasn't already contaminated. Even so, our version of a CSI team didn't use conventional methods to find evidence on a body. Somehow I don't think our fingerprints on the body would even be noticed. Hair or blood was another matter, so we were careful as we gathered and moved the body, finally zipping it tightly and sealing the bag with a spell.

With that finished we headed off to camp. Since I led most of the way here, I fell back on the way to camp, letting Carlos and Hansen do most of the hacking as I pulled the levitating body bag.

It was getting dark under the trees, although the sky still showed a light blue in the west, under the heavy canopy trees it got dark once the light wasn't shining down between the thick leaves. Carlos conjured up a ball of light and kept it bouncing above us as we moved forward. About half way back we stopped for a water break. Carlos cast his wards and Hansen drew a large circle for us.

"Do you really think that's necessary?" Carlos sniped at Hansen.

"It couldn't hurt." Hansen said defensively.

"I don't know if I want to sit that close to two other guys." Carlos said more than a little uncomfortable.

"What's your problem Ramirez, do you think everyone wants your hot body?" Hansen asked mockingly.

"Hey, you said I was hot, not me." Carlos said unfortunately sincere in his protest.

"Get over yourself Ramirez." Hansen said with a slight Irish accent and a little more ire.

I don't know Hansen very well but I could tell that Carlos was a little shaken. Between what we had to clean up and it getting dark, I think they both were a little nervous or scared. Which explained the squabbling I was now listening to.

"I'm going to find a bush to water. I'll be right back." I said to the two as they bantered back and forth. I'm honestly not sure if they were ignoring me or actually didn't hear what I said but nature was calling so I headed back the way we came a little ways and stepped behind a bush.

As I was getting ready to join my two companions who were still making a good bit of noise, I heard a rustling from behind me. I pushed magic and the sudden sense of fear into my shield bracelet as I turned, readying it just in case. To my surprise, Susan Rodriguez was standing about ten yards away, just visible in the dying light, between two bushes.

I opened my mouth to call out to her but she quickly put a finger over her lips and waved for me to follow her. She was wearing camouflage gear like the wardens with her long dark hair in a single braid behind her back. I could see the faint tattoos on her brown skin as she waved more frantically for me to join her. She looked upset, maybe scared as she waved at me. I moved towards her and as I did she turned and disappeared behind one of the bushes.

When I got to where I had first seen her I could see her again about ten yards farther into the brush, just rounding a tree. I hurried to catch up to her but she kept moving deeper and deeper into the forest only stopping long enough to beckon me on urgently.

"Susan! Wait." I finally called after her.

She turned and looked at me then around the forest and motioned for me to be quiet again. Putting her finger to her lips and giving me a desperate look before darting farther into the forest.

I was about to lurch after her I remembered the conversation that Luccio and I had before we went to gather the bodies. I couldn't be sure, it looked like Susan down to the tattoos on her face, but why wouldn't she stop and talk to me. Why lead me into the dense forest, even if someone was hurt she could take the time to tell me or explain as we ventured together into the forest. This just seemed too strange.

She turned and looked at me, once again desperately waving me to her, looking vulnerable and scared. Then she stretched her arms out to me, beckoning me to her. I felt a wave of guilt and despair as I pulled my blasting rod out of its holster and pushed my confusion and anger into it as I raised it and yelled Feugo! My voice echoed in the jungle as a yellow orange beam of light leapt from my rod, hitting the bush next to Susan causing it to burst into bright hot flames.

Susan let out a shriek as she leapt towards me with an uncanny speed. The real Susan was a half vampire and could move pretty fast, but this Susan was nearly a blur as she flew towards me. She hit the ground halfway between the burning bush and where I stood, before jumping again. Her form shifted and was replaced by a creature with long spindly arms ending in four fingered hands, each finger ended with a razor sharp claw. It had one thick stumpy leg with the knee set backwards to that of a human. Its thick torso was a scaly black and its face was a cross between that of a human and a dog with large glistening fangs accenting its row of sharp pointy teeth. Its glowing red eyes were bulging and wide as it flew towards me.

Suddenly I was furious, not so much that I was being attacked, but that the thing had dared use Susan to deceive me. My head was flooded with the hurt at losing her, the anger and self loathing that I had let her down and didn't protect her like I should have. Mostly it was rage that this thing had used her image to try to trick me.

I lifted my left hand and formed a shield as I adjusted my aim with the blasting rod and poured magic, fear and anger into the rod, packing it in hard, as the tip of my blasting rod glowed white and began to smoke as the creature was mid-arc in its jump and then I screamed at it. "Feugo!"

My voice rang out in the still darkness as a streak of fire and hate lit up the darkness as it flew into the things stomach, stopping its forward momentum and dropping it to the ground. I kept pouring more and more magic into my rod as I pulled the stream of orange-yellow rage down its body splitting it open. Steam and dark red blood poured from the ever widening opening in the things body as it let out a shrill howl of pain and rage, clawing at the ground trying to turn itself over. The force of the stream of fire kept its lower body pinned to the ground as it bore deeper into its body. I lifted my blasting rod, pulling the fire up over its chest and short, thick stump like neck leaving a deep steaming incision as the beam came to rest on the things head.

"Dresden's here!" Carlos shouted behind me as he drew his blasting rod, then the things head exploded sending skull and gore into the air.

I pulled the beam back to its body where I expected its heart to be. My rage and shock was still pouring out of me like a waterfall. Then Carlos put his hand on my arm and pushed it down.

"Harry, it's dead." He said quietly, sounding a little scared.

His touch and voice pulled me back to myself. I released the spell and could smell the wood smoke as I holstered my blasting rod. I could feel the heat from the wood against my leg as I stood there looking at the charred remains of whatever that thing was. Suddenly I felt tired and shaky as Hansen appeared to my left.

"Should have known it'd be over by the time we got here." Hansen smirked.

"We are talking about warden demolition." Carlos said with a grin.

"Wow, I guess the rumors are true." Hansen said looking from the burning bushes to the smoldering corpse.

I couldn't tell if Hansen was impressed or worried, either way he didn't say much more as we gathered up the remains of the creature to take back to camp.

As we stacked the two bags together and Hansen cast a levitate spell on them, Carlos turned to me with a serious look.

"Harry, what the heck was that thing?" he asked.

"Hells bells Carlos, what do I look like a monster encyclopedia?" I said.

"Well it's not from the nevernever because we still have a body to deal with. It wasn't a vampire because it didn't burn and its black skin was scaly not flabby and oily like a Red Court vampire. I didn't see its face until it was about to explode, but it wasn't human. So I was wondering if you had any ideas." He said thinking it through.

"It must be something local. I've never heard of anything like this before." I told him as I shouldered my pack.

"How did it draw you off? Why did you follow it?" Hansen asked. "We came out here to bag a body of someone silly enough to wander into the forest at night and here you are doing exactly the same thing. What were you thinking Dresden?" Hansen said sounding disgusted.

"It looked like someone I knew. It was beckoning me to follow it." I said.

"Who do you know that would be dallying in a jungle in Red Court territory?" Hansen asked patronizingly.

"Her name is Susan. She was bitten by a Red Court Vampire and is working with the Fellowship of St. Giles right now. She looked scared and kept motioning me to come to her." I said knowing how silly it must have sounded to the two of them.

"It looked like Susan?" Carlos asked shocked.

"It looked just like her down to the tattoos." I said shaking my head.

"I still…" Hansen started but Carlos shut him up with a glare.

"We can talk back at camp, right now we should get out of here in case there are more of those things lurking about." Carlos said sternly staring at Hansen.

"Fine, let's go." I said taking the lead, leaving the other two to behind as I hacked random branches, following our path back to camp.

The hike back was quiet. Carlos had Hansen relieved me from machete duty about half way back, figuring I could use the rest. I was running on nervous energy after hiking in the hot jungle all day and although the fight was short I had tossed a bunch of magic into the attack and I was feeling it now.

I kept running it through my head. How she looked so desperate for me to follow her and how like a dolt, I followed her. If this thing had appeared to the others as a loved one it would explain a lot. What we needed now were answers as to what that thing was and why it was attacking us. Those answers were likely to be found in Edinburgh or from a local wizard, because I surely didn't have any.

As we entered the camp they were just finishing up dinner. The lights were on in the command tent so I left Carlos and Hansen to handle the bodies and headed into the tent to report what had happened. When I walked in I had expected to find Captain Luccio standing behind the table but instead there was an old Native American gentleman with long gray hair pulled back into a pony tail standing there. I recognized him immediately as Joseph Listens-to-Wind, a member of the senior council on the White Council. He may not be young but he was a formidable wizard. From what I'd been told, he may have a gentle nature about him, those who had seen him in action usually both respected and feared him.

"Wizard Dresden, it's nice to see you again." He greeted me as I entered.

He seemed to be genuine with his greeting. Most of the Senior Council didn't trust me, which suited me fine so long as they kept out of my way. I often wondered if they would have even made me a warden if I hadn't started the war to begin with. Then again if they're recruiting teens, I suppose they'd take a shady character like me who's good in a fight. Who knows maybe they'd get lucky and the Red Court would kill me before I could do any more harm.

"Sir." I said surprised.

"Call me Joseph or Joe, I'm not a sir." He said with a twinkle in his eye.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as politely as I could.

"I'm sure Captain Luccio will ask me the same thing, so why don't we save that for when she gets here." He said in a gentle voice. "Why don't you tell me about what you've been up to tonight instead? I could use a good story."

"Well, I'm afraid it's not a happy one sir. I mean Joe." I corrected myself.

"Why don't you tell it anyway? Many of the most interesting stories aren't happy ones." He said with a faint smile, gesturing to a chair.

I pulled the chair around the table facing the one Captain Luccio usually sat in and we both sat. I told him how the day began and how we found the body of the younger warden. I didn't go into too much detail regarding the scene as it was rather gruesome but sufficed to say it was ugly and the body was unrecognizable. I told him how we had come back to camp only to discover the other body had also been found in a similar state and teams were setup to recover the bodies.

It was at this point in the story when Captain Luccio returned.

"Wizard Listens-to-Wind, what an unexpected pleasure, I wasn't expecting you." She said giving him a tired smile as she entered the tent.

"Thank you Captain, it's good to see you smiling." He said looking up at her over the table. "Harry here was just telling me about what happened today."

"By all means, please continue Wizard Dresden." She said as she leaned on the table next to me.

"Captain, you'll be interested in this part, I haven't had a chance to report to you yet." I said glancing up at her.

"What happened?" She asked curiously.

"After we had recovered and stored the body, we took a water break as per regulations." I said giving her my best innocent look. "I stepped behind a bush to relieve myself when I saw what appeared to be an old friend of mine beckoning to me."

"You went off alone?" she asked firmly.

"It's not the sort of thing men do in groups." I replied, getting a quiet chuckle from the Senior Council member and a scowl from my Captain.

"Continue. Who did you see?" she asked sternly.

"It looked like Suzan Rodriguez. She beckoned me to follow her and motioned for me to be quiet. Then she headed into the forest." I said.

"Susan Rodriguez, the girl Bianca bit?" The Senior Council member asked.

"Yes and it looked just as I remembered her from the last time I saw her. Different clothes but everything else was the same. It wasn't until I realized she had drawn me away from everyone else that I became suspicious." I told them.

"So did you capture her?" Captain Luccio asked.

"Not quite. When I stopped following it and noticed it refused to speak to me I lit a bush next to it on fire and then it attacked me. It must have been an illusion because when it attacked it instantly changed into its natural form." I explained.

"Then we have a corpse to examine at least. We should be able to examine its body and find out exactly what it is." The Senior Council member said approvingly.

"You'd think so." I said a little sheepishly.

"There's nothing left of it is there?" Captain Luccio asked pointedly.

"It's mostly there." I said honestly.

"Is it recognizable?" she asked.

"Well it's missing its head and the body is burned badly, but you can get the gist of it." I said defensively.

"No matter, we can still work with it, I'm sure." Joseph said to me kindly.

"Its most defining feature is that it only has one leg. It wasn't missing a leg, it only had one that bent backwards and that's intact." I said glancing at Luccio then back to Joseph. "Its face was like a human mixed with a dog, long and pointy with a large mouth. It had sharp pointy teeth and large canine fangs." I finished.

"Very interesting, there are legends of things that can take the shape of a loved one or desired woman to lead men particularly to their deaths down here." Joseph said after a moment. "This one sounds particularly violent however. With the bodies and your report I'm sure one of our research team can determine what we're dealing with. However I would suggest everyone exercise extreme caution for the time being." He said gently.

"We have already doubled the guards and I've given explicit orders that NOBODY is to go anywhere alone, including the latrine." Luccio finished staring at me.

"That sounds like a very wise course of action." Joseph said nodding in agreement. "On another matter, I've heard you found an ancient town nearby." he said with a twinkle in his eye. "I'd be very interested in visiting it if time allows."

"We can make arrangements for a group of wardens to accompany you there tomorrow." Luccio said sounding a little surprised. "I wanted to scout it out before now, but with the men missing I put it on the back burner while searching for them."

"That's understandable, tomorrow would be fine." He said giving her a nod. "Now, where can I store my gear?"

"Of course, we can rearrange a few people and give you your own tent. It'll just take a few minutes." She said looking over the table for the tent assignments.

"Harry, is there room in your tent?" he asked kindly.

"There is, but my roommate snores like a buzz saw." I said warning him.

"That's not a problem, at my age you learn to sleep wherever you put your head regardless of what's droning on around you." He said with a mischievous smile.

"Just one thing, is it near the latrine?" he asked seriously. I had to fight to keep from smirking and Luccio let out a feint snort, just catching herself.

"It is a few tents away." I replied.

"Good, at my age it's good to have it close by." He said solemnly.

…..

On top of everything else that happened today, I ended up giving my report to Captain Luccio and one of the Senior Council members who showed up out of the blue. He seemed nice enough though.

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. I am to lead the Senior Council guy and a group of wardens to the ruins to have a look around, map it out and determine if it's worth moving our camp there or not. Sorry I don't have a camera to send you pictures, but I'll see if I can have Carlos sketch it for you.

Don't forget to study hard and do those exercises I showed you before I left. There will be a test when I get back! Also remember, NO LOVE POTIONS!

Don't forget to let Mister out and give my best to your family.

Sincerely,

Harry


	3. Chapter 3

"Letters from the Front"

Chapter 3

Dear Molly,

The camp has been really tense lately. It seems like since I was attacked everyone is looking over their shoulders a lot more. I even had one junior warden draw their blasting rod on me as I was coming back from patrol. It wouldn't have been that bad, but I trained him and he can pack quite a punch when he wants to.

Also we did get some information back from Edinburgh and the thing that attacked me appears to be a rare creature called a Patasola or "One Foot". Supposedly they lure (mostly men) off into the forest to devour them. That is pretty much what it tried to do to me.

From what they said the Patasola usually attacks loggers or others that enter their territory and destroy plants or animals. However, we also learned that they are suspected to be an older race than human beings and the Red Court vampires. Suggesting that the Red Court was either the next evolutionary step or the virus that turns humans into vampires may somehow have come from these creatures. It's all speculation for now but they do consume human blood and flesh so they are dangerous.

On a brighter note, I did have a chance to go back to the ancient city today again today. A few other wardens and I escorted Listens-To-Wind to the temple and did a little exploring.

…..

I could feel the sun beating down on the back of my neck as I stood at the bottom of the temple. I must have looked odd, a tall gangly figure standing with a heavy leather duster over my camouflage pants but after that attack I wasn't taking any chances.

"Are we all here?" Carlos asked taking a head count and checking it against his clipboard.

"Yes Carlos. Everyone is accounted for just like the last time you checked and the time before that." Hansen replied gruffly. He didn't have to be so brash, but Carlos was doing head checks before and after each stop on the way here and it was getting a little annoying.

"Captain Luccio said I was leading this expedition so you are all my responsibility." He said gloating a little. Truth be told I think Anastasia just wanted the two out of the camp for a while so she could have some peace and quiet.

"Warden Ramirez, Harry and I will be inspecting the temple and surrounding area." Listens-to-Wind said in his peaceful voice.

"Right, would you like more wardens to accompany you?" Carlos asked, pencil ready.

"No I think between the two of us we can handle it, but if you feel it's necessary I won't protest." He said kindly giving Carlos a smile.

Carlos looked at the Senior Council member then at me and scribbled something down on the paper.

"No, that's fine. I'd have to assign two people to you or it'd throw off my chart and that would be overkill. We have a lot to do here today." Carlos replied authoritatively.

"Very well then." Listens-to-Wind said as he turned and gave me a quick wink.

"Everyone meet back her in two hours! No Exceptions. If you run into any trouble send up a flare like we agreed." Carlos said in a loud voice. Then he started calling out names and giving out assignments to search and map the city. There were fourteen wizards in our group making up seven search teams. Each team was given a pad of graph paper and pencils to sketch out their search area and label each building they found and to add notes on anything of interest they found in or near the buildings.

Listens-to-Wind waited patiently until all the assignments were given out and the teams started to move before he turned to me with a smile.

"Shall we investigate?" He asked.

"Absolutely, where would you like to start?" I asked respectfully.

He looked at me, then the temple and headed for the stairs. I had no problems with his decision. Even though I'd been there before I was amazed at the ancient structure and savored each new sight, smell and sound as we climbed our way up the stairs. I was studying the stone work as we climbed as it was much brighter out now than the last time I was here. Every now and then I could see a carving or writing etched in the stone that was mostly covered by vines, bushes and moss.

About half way up he stopped and squinted at a spot off to the side.

"Harry, what do you make of that?" He asked pointing to something hidden behind the branches and leaves of one of the many bushes.

"I can't tell what it is. I can't see it clearly from here." I told him as I stepped off the stairs and carefully made my way along the stones that made up this level of the pyramid.

I walked along the wide terrace stone that made up this step of the temple and finally found the spot he was pointing at. As I pushed away the branches and wiped the moss away I could see a panel with writing and pictographs on it. After cleaning away more there was a drawing on to the side as well.

"Can you read it sir?" I asked.

"There's no sir here, and I can't read it either." He said cantankerously.

"Here take a rubbing of the writing and picture and we can go over it later." He said offering whispering a word and letting the pencil and tablet float in a slow low arc to me.

"Neat trick, you'll have to teach it to me sometime." I said grabbing the paper and pencil out of the air.

"It's a variation of a levitation spell, it's actually pretty easy." He said watching as I put the paper over the writing and began to rub gently.

What I found odd was that on the picture there were places that were subtle or worn and nearly invisible to the eye, but on the rubbing they stood out much more pronounced. It took about six sheets of paper to finish the rubbing, which I neatly slipped into my pack for safe keeping.

"We can go over it later when we get back to camp." He said as he started ascending the stairs before I was off the terrace.

I have to hand it to him, Injun Joe may look old and a little frail, but he kept up a good pace all the way up the stairs and didn't seem winded when we got to the top. Unfortunately many of the junior wardens aren't in as good of shape.

"Let's stop here for a moment." He said as I came to the top of the stairs. "Let's sit and see what we can hear." He said as he lowered himself down to the top step.

I took a seat near him and listened and took a deep breath, clearing my mind. Just about anyone can listen it's a sense that we really can't just turn off usually. However, sometimes a wizard can learn to hear. It goes beyond simple listening. A wizard can hear things most people couldn't. I can often hear subtle things and quiet things that most people miss.

As I listened, I could hear the hiss of scales against bark as a snake slithered through a tree branch at the base of the temple. I could hear the rustling of birds shaking out their feathers. I could also hear a low, quiet thrum. The more I tuned in on it I could almost feel it. It was a gentle rhythmic vibration, gentle and stable. Then I could hear something more, something much quieter it sounded like another beat working just under the first. Somehow it didn't match, it sounded out of rhythm and not harmonious to the first.

I opened my eyes and looked at the Senior Council member. He had a look of surprise on his face.

"What is it? I heard a thrumming and could just barely hear a second, out of time with the first. What do you think it is?" I asked concerned.

"You heard it too? Good, I thought it was my stomach." Said Listens-to-Wind with a small smile. "I'm not sure what it is. Maybe once we find out what this place is used for and why it's sealed we can figure out what the noise was." He said slowly standing and brushing off his trousers.

"Sounds like a plan." I said.

"Now let's get a look at those doors." He said as we crossed the wide open terrace.

I was taking in the scenery as he studied the markings on the door. The buildings were in worse shape than I had originally thought. I could see that many had missing walls and few had actual roofs still intact. The forest had reclaimed the city and in the process, the vines and roots had torn apart most of the buildings in the place. They could probably be made useable, especially for the short time we'd need them and they would give more security than our tent city did. I could see a couple of wardens in the distance studying what must have once been a fountain near the city center.

"Interesting."

"What's that?" I asked turning to my senior companion.

"These wards, they're unusual. Usually you have to imbue the ward with power and periodically recharge it, like the ones you keep on your house. This one seems to be getting a constant trickle of power from somewhere though. I'd bet that this hasn't needed to be charged since it was created." He said with a puzzled look on his face. "It's an impressive piece of magic, especially for a civilization from a few thousand years ago." He said impressed.

"Where could it be drawing power from for so long?" I asked as much to myself as my companion.

"It could be a lay line or drawing power from its surroundings or the earth itself. It's hard to tell from this side of the door." He said shaking his head. "That may also explain how the growth charm is still active after all this time."

"I can sense more power and magic deeper in the temple but with the wards, gold and stone in the way it's difficult to get any more information than that." He said as he stepped back and seemed to relax.

With that we searched the top of the temple and made rubbings of various writings on the walls. Then we headed down the stairs to investigate the other buildings in our grid of the map.

We first came to a small rectangular building, which was nearest to the jungle. Because of its unfortunate location it was in a bad state. The roots of nearby trees and vines from other plants had weakened and split the walls which had eventually crumbled. The corners of the building were the most intact but none of the roof remained except for what was left of poles that were covered in leaves and moss and in a general state of decay. We found a few shards of pottery but none had any visible writing or etching on them so we left them in the ruins of the building and pressed on.

The next building was mostly rectangular in shape with a squared raised patio area in the back. The walls were in much better shape and part of the roof still stood. This building had thick planed tree limbs for supports for the roof and many seemed to be rotting but still bearing the weight of what was left of the thatched roof. The floor was dirt and there were some complete jugs in the corner, half buried by dust and dirt that had blown in over the years. They appeared to be water jugs but were long empty now. One of the jugs had a painting on it depicting people around the temple with what I guessed to be a shaman or priest at the top. I carefully unearthed the jug and wrapped it in cloth before stashing it in my pack.

As we moved toward the next building the hot sun was beating down on my dark hair and neck making me uncomfortable in my duster. The humidity was slowly eating away at me making me feel sticky in my clothes. I was about to suggest a water break when a scream shattered the relative calm and quiet of the ancient city.

"Sounds like trouble." I said turning to Joseph.

"Could just be a spider." He said with a smile as he pulled his blasting rod and stepped towards the sound of the scream.

Shots rang out in rapid fire. There was an explosion as we could see other wardens springing towards the sounds of fighting and the large dust cloud that was rising from the far side of the city.

"No, this way." Joseph called to me as he was already midstride going away from the direction everyone else running.

"The fighting is this way."

"They're expecting you to come from that direction. Let's see if we can get a jump on them."

Seeing the wisdom and smile in his eyes I turned on my heel and followed the crafty wizard down the street. Wizards can live to be ancient, but you don't get to be that old by accident. I could tell Listens to Wind had a plan and he was the senior council member, but more than that I respected him and his judgment. I also had to respect his speed and agility. The older gentleman moved with a speed and grace that surprised me. I'm no slouch when it comes to running but I had to push myself to keep up with him as he leapt over downed trees and debris from crumbling buildings.

After a few minutes of continued gunfire and flashes and explosions of wizards doing battle, he stopped and slipped behind a falling wall and motioned for me to join him. I caught up to him and crouched next to him taking cover behind the wall. We were still a little ways from where the fighting was coming from and I didn't immediately see the reason for his hesitation.

"Lock and load gentlemen. This should be a quick and easy ambush." Said a gravelly baritone voice, followed by the sounds of clips being fed into automatic weapons and grunts from what must have been close to a dozen men.

"Sir, the scouting group has made contact with the enemy. Shouldn't we move in now to support them?" A younger voice asked.

"They'll be fine for now. I just want to make sure we flush out as many of the Wizards as possible so we can catch them in crossfire. If we do it right we may even avoid any curses being tossed at us."

"You three, fan out to the left, you three move right. I want you about twenty meters on my flank when we open fire. Nobody fire until I give the signal. If we do this right we'll be well rewarded." The baritone voice said to another chorus of gruff grunts.

At this Joseph smiled and gave me a wink as he motioned for me to be still. After another few minutes the sounds of fighting were increasing. The gunfire was less intense but the explosions and screams were becoming more frequent.

"Okay boys, it's time! Go! GO! GO!"

With that we heard people scrambling off into the city to their appointed places. Listens-to-Wind turned to me and spoke softly.

"Harry, this is the main force. They think they're going to ambush our men but I think we should give them a little surprise of our own." The he said with a sly look on his face.

"I'll take the group on the left, you take the group on the right then we catch the main body in our own crossfire." He said confidently. "How are you at veils?" He asked a little concerned.

"I've gotten better at them since we last met. I'm not as good as Carlos, but I'm sure mine will do the trick for this environment." I said confidently.

"When you hit them, make it big. We want the other wardens to know that there is another group behind them. You want them confused and disoriented as much as possible. That shouldn't be a problem for you." Joseph said with a wink. "I'll wait until I hear you start your attack then I'll deal with my group and we can meet in the middle."

With my veil in place I followed the group to the right as the moved forward. They stopped and took cover near the fighting next to a larger building. They were taking cover behind fallen trees and the low ruined wall. The group of Wardens was just up ahead about thirty feet from where they stood.

I shook out my shield bracelet and pulled my blasting rod in my right hand with my staff in my left.

As I surveyed the scene I noticed several old trees off to the right, encroaching on the city and a large wall to the left that attached to the wall they were hiding behind. In the corner was a large pile of debris, mostly leaves and small fallen twigs and branches that had been blown off the street.

I drew power into my blasting rod and laced it with a little soulfire as shots and yells rang out from the group fighting ahead of us, the ambush group was just taking aim as I released my spell.

"PyroFuego!" A baseball sized ball of silver-orange superheated fire burst from the tip of my rod and streaked near the base of the corner of the two walls and exploded when it hit the cool solid stone. The now burning debris was blown up and out, funneled by the walls taking dust and bits of exploded stone with it as it encompassed the group about to fire on the already embattled wardens.

Debris and dust covered the area along with a good bit of smoke, obscuring the vision of shooters. They were covering their faces and trying to wipe the dirt and ash from their eyes as the wall to their left tumbled down upon them.

Between the fire and falling wall a large cloud of dirt, smoke and burning embers blossomed into a large dark column and cloud at and above the site.

I aimed my next shot at one of the overhanging canopy trees and found the branch I was looking for about twenty meters up and took aim, pushing my adrenaline rush and magic into the rod.

"Forzare" The small lance of power flared out into a wide axe like blade and with a loud CRACK it severed the thick branch from the tree along with a couple smaller branches above. Succumbing to gravity the branches dropped quickly onto the pile of rock and debris that covered the would-be ambushers and buried them in vines, branches and leaves. Now there was a ten foot pile of rock and branches covering the attackers. I doubted that they were dead, but they were neutralized for the time being and the wardens currently fighting had turned their attention to discover the new group of attackers.

As I moved stealthily towards the middle group as Listens-to-Wind had instructed, I noticed a short distance away a large plant that hadn't been there before, in its vines it held about half a dozen men in camouflage gear about five feet off the ground, wrapped tightly from knee to neck in the vines of the plant.

Leaning against the bottom of the plant with a pile of automatic rifles and side arm's Listens-to-Wind simply smiled at me. "What took you so long Harry?"

I just smiled back at the wizard and we moved up towards the rest of the wardens. By the time we got there the other mercenaries had been defeated and the last of them, seeing they had no backup, retreated into the jungle.

A few wardens were about to give chase when Listens-to-Wind suggested that they let them go. Given the disappearances and dangers of the jungle along with the few who actually managed to escape it was better to save our forces as they weren't likely to make it far on their own. With that we headed back to my group and a few sleep spells and a few levitation spells we had them unearthed and tied up quickly.

One of the attackers in my group that was closest to the wall was in pretty bad shape and another had a broken tree branch through his side. So we spent a good half hour on first aid and getting them stable enough to move.

I've been a wizard for a long time and I've seen a lot of strange things, but on the way back to camp with Listens-to-Wind being followed by an enchanted walking vine bush that wrapped and carried our prisoners back to camp, was way up on my strange meter.

After securing the prisoners, Captain Luccio and Listens-to-Wind began to interrogate the prisoners. The injured were tended to, under guard, by one of Wizards on our medical team and she had assured us that they would both survive, but at least one would have a severe limp.

Carlos and I went to get some dinner from the mess tent as the sun set in the West. Tonight's special was brownish and gray in color served over some undercooked rice. It tasted about as good as it looked, but with enough salt and pepper… It was still marginal at best.

As we were drinking the strong and thick motor oil like concoction that passed for coffee, trying to kill the lingering taste of tonight's dinner, a scream rang out from the holding area. Shilpa and four other wardens were standing guard over the unconscious mercenaries. The scream was quickly followed by a loud concussive bang and a flash of bright light. Carlos and I sprinted for the area, drawing blasting rods as we went.

I may look tall and lanky, but I'm surprisingly fast and was surprised to see Carlos keeping up with me as we turned the corner to the holding area.

Three of the guards were sitting on the ground dazed. Their pupils were oddly dilated to take up most of the colored part of their eyes. Shilpa was in the arms of a tall, dark-haired man. Even in the dimming light his skin was perfect and he had a ruggedly handsome look to him. It was only the black claw that extended from his index finger like a small dagger and fully black eyes that gave him away as a member of the Red Court.

"Don't move." He said in a low calming voice. "We wouldn't want me to slip and kill this beautiful young lady, now would we?"

The mercenaries were on the ground in a pool of blood spurting their last few pints into the air. There were two other vampires who had lost their flesh mask quickly slicing the remaining men's throats and chests wide open. Carlos and I lifted out blasting rods at the two involved in their gruesome work, aiming was difficult as they moved at inhuman speeds.

"Now now Wizards, let's not be hasty. Remember the girl?" He said pressing his claw against her flesh. "These are our men after all and they failed us."

Shilpa was wide-eyed with fear. I heard a muffled cry as the tip of the claw pressed dangerously against the side of her neck. Other wardens raced up behind us and Carlos waved for them to stand down as they took in the macabre spectacle.

"What do you want?" I hissed through clenched teeth as the two vampires moved to the side of the dark haired man holding Shilpa. The blood was pounding in my ears, I could feel the rage swelling inside me like a tidal wave of pure destruction as Shilpa tried to calm herself and hide the fear on her face. I could smell the sweet irony smell from the mist of the dying men's blood on the early night breeze and it only added more fire to my belly.

"That's simple. I propose a trade, you leave this place and we return the girl unharmed. Otherwise we make her an offering to the Red King." He said with a toothy smile, "He does so love the taste of Wizards blood, especially one so young. It would be a treat. Who knows, he may take a shine to her and turn her, she is so pretty after all."Then the smile vanished from his face and he glared at me. "You have two days to leave, or else."

With that he wrapped his other arm around Shilpa's waist and they leapt up and backwards into one of the nearby canopy trees and with another jump they disappeared into the darkness.

"Let's go!" shouted one of the senior wardens standing behind me.

"No! They have the girl and who knows what they have waiting for us in the jungle." Carlos spat. "She's safe for now, let's all just calm down and think rationally."

My rage and anger mushroomed inside of me, threatening to tear at my sanity. They took my partner, the young woman who looked up to me and who I had promised to protect. The echoes of the past rang in my mind. My apprentice, Kim Delaney who had died while trying to contain a Loup-garou, Suzan who had been bitten by a Red Court vampire, Elaine my first lover who died by my hand, the faces and guilt of everyone I had tried to save and failed washed into my mind. The rage and shame boiled in my chest and burned to get out. When I couldn't stand it anymore I felt my arm lift and my lips part as if to speak.

"Wizard Dresden! The Command tent! Now!" Anastasia's voice came over the dull roar of the flames in my mind. "Carlos, see if any of our captives are still alive and get these wardens medical attention." She snapped as she spun on her heel and headed to the center of the camp.

"Get those wardens to the medical tent." Carlos barked to the other wardens standing behind him, taking in the carnage. The moonlight filtering through the trees sent sinister shadows dancing around the bodies and reflecting off the pooled blood.

I felt like a ten year old going to the principal's office. I was able to take the anger, fear and shame and lock it behind a door in the back of my mind as I walked towards what was likely to prove to be a thorough rebuke for nearly losing control. I could feel the looks and stares of others on my back as I made my way to the middle of the camp. The light and roar of fire from the tree was gone as I turned the corner.

When I entered the command tent I my eyes were on the ground, I could feel my shoulders slouching and it felt unnatural. "Before you start, I know what you're going to say."

"I don't think you do." A familiar voice said ahead of me.

Wizard Listens-to-Wind sat at the corner of the table with a perplexed look on his face.

"We still have two mercenaries in the interrogation tent and they have been telling a very interesting story." Anastasia said evenly. "With some encouragement, they told us that they had overheard the Red Court members talking about their mission before they left. They don't just want us to leave. They want something from the old town. Evidently they believe the old temple holds something powerful."

"They believe that the temple holds something powerful? All we were able to pickup was the growth charm." I said confused.

"True, but you have to ask yourself, what has been powering that charm and the wards for the last six or seven hundred years." Listens-to-Wind said thoughtfully.

"You think there may be a powerful artifact that's powering those spells? Is that the thrumming sound we heard earlier?" I asked perplexed.

"Honestly, I don't know. The Red Court seems to think that there is something interesting inside and if they want it this badly, we should find out what it is." He said quietly.

"It's not that I don't agree, but there are strong wards on the doors and if we break them, who know what sort of Pandora's Box we'd be opening." Anastasia said with a concerned look on her face.

"I agree. That's why I'll investigate it myself." Listens-to-Wind said with a look of trepidation on his face. "While I search, you'll need to guard my body. I shouldn't be gone that long but I won't be able to protect my body while I'm away." He finished.

"Joseph, are you sure that's necessary or even safe?" Anastasias look of surprise and fear took me off guard.

"Do you have a better idea? I can do a spirit walk and investigate the temple without setting off the wards and find out what it is that has the Red Court so interested." He said calmly.

"We can come up with something else. It's too dangerous, what if they have wards against wayward spirits wondering into the temple?"

"This isn't my first time doing this sort of thing Captain Luccio." He said firmly, "I'll be fine, I just need to be sure that my body is safe and not moved while I'm away."

"Of course, I'll see to it." Anastasia said a little taken aback.

"Wizard Dresden, I'd like your help with something before I begin to prepare for this spell." Joseph said turning his gaze to me.

"What can I do to help?"

"You have a model of Chicago in your basement, do you not?" he asked.

"Actually, I do." I was surprised to know that he was aware of my model. I had taken months gathering pieces of wood, stone, glass and even pavement from buildings and roads all over Chicago and had the things incorporated into pewter replicas of the buildings, trees and roads they came from. I used it when I was searching for something. Suddenly a light clicked on in my head. I could do the same for the temple and give Listens-to-Wind a physical representation of the temple to work with and focus his spell on while he searched the temple.

"Then maybe you could use this to make a small statue of the temple." He said, producing a small splinter of stone from his pocket.

…

Also, I have to tell you that Mouse and Carlos say hi. I don't think either one of them will leave me alone until I write that down.

Be sure to keep up with your studies and please don't forget to bring in the mail.

As always please give my best to your family.

Sincerely,

Harry

P.S. A care package wouldn't suck, especially with those cookies you and your mom make. Not that I'm hinting… You can pass it along to the local interim warden or have someone from Edinburgh pick it up, if you really wanted to.


	4. Chapter 4

"Letters from the Front"

Chapter 4

Dear Molly,

You have officially been nominated for the title, "Best Apprentice Ever"! I was about to mail my last letter when the courier handed me the large care package. Between the magazines, cookies, cupcakes and peanut brittle, I've become quite popular around here. Also I won't have to pull KP or night patrol duty for at least two weeks. I hid the sardines and crackers, even Carlos doesn't know about them. You're so awesome! The peanut butter, jelly and bread were a Wonderful idea as was the new toothbrush and rolls of TP. Dirt get's into everything down here.

I told you about what happened and how my partner was abducted by the Red Court. I'm still beside myself over that. I don't know when or how, but I'll be sure to pay those jerks back for what they've done. For now though, I'm working on a project for Listens-to-Wind. I'm making a focus for him that's similar to what I did with Little Chicago only on a much smaller scale.

… … … …

It took me an hour of digging and hunting but eventually I found enough natural clay to mold a small replica of the temple with the small stone shard embedded in the middle. I had to do some work in a circle to clear the clay of any affinity to the area it was dug from so the model was truly representative of the temple itself and not the materials the model was made of. It was tedious work but after a few hours and a small but intense fire it was finished.

I carried the still warm model to the command tent where I found Anastasia pacing and rubbing her chin.

"You look worried boss." I said as I watched her pace.

"Oh, Harry." She said as she looked up, just noticing that she wasn't alone. "Not worried, just a little ambivalent about this spirit walk. I've been racking my brain trying to remember all I could about this sort of thing to try to come up with as many safeguards as possible. The last thing I want is for a senior council member to get hurt on my watch." She said sounding tired.

"He's a senior council member for a reason. If he says he can do it safely, then I'd take him at his word." I replied reassuringly, putting my hand on her shoulder.

"I know, but still. He's one of the good ones. I'd hate to see anything happen to him, he's too valuable to risk for a scouting expedition like this."

"I know what you mean, but he's also the only one who can pull it off. You said yourself that we can't risk entering physically. This should be a quick in and out mission. He's only scouting, it's not like he's going to take his time sightseeing."

"Harry, logically I know what you're saying is right. However, call it intuition or nerves or whatever, but I have a bad feeling about this. My gut's telling me it's too risky." Her face looked older than it really was, the concern and lack of rest was starting to show.

"Normally I'd tell you to go with your gut, but this time I don't see any other way. That and he has already made his decision, I don't think you could change his mind. Still though, if it's bothering you, tell him so. Maybe it's the reality check he needs to find another way." I said.

"Good idea, but unfortunately it's the only way to search the temple without dropping the wards." Listens-to-Wind said from the doorway of the tent.

I don't know if it's just him or if they teach this stuff in shaman school, but this guy moved so quietly I had to wonder if his feet really touched the ground. Could he have enchanted moccasins? The idea was intriguing.

"Sir, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to second guess your decision. It's just that…" Anastasia blurted out as she turned to face the senior council member with a mixture of shock, terror and embarrassment on her face.

"No need to apologize. If you didn't worry I'd wonder if you were the right person for your job. It makes me happy that you think for yourself and are concerned with everyone in your charge. You do your job well Anastasia, but this time I am afraid I must insist you do this my way." He said with a warm smile.

"Of course sir." She said, her face quickly falling back the flat, no-nonsense, business as usual look of not only a soldier, but that of a leader.

"Harry, do you have the item I asked for?" He said looking at the bundle of cloth in my hand.

"Yes, it just cooled." I said handing him the bundle.

He unwrapped the small clay model and then turned it over in his hands and then smiled kindly.

"Very well done, I like the attention to detail Wizard Dresden." He said as he examined the tiny steps in the stairway leading up the side of the temple.

"Thank you. I thought you'd want it as realistic as possible." I said feeling a little proud of myself.

"Very well then, I think we're ready. Harry would you come with me please?" He said as he turned to leave the tent.

I gave Anastasia a final look and quick smile over my shoulder as I left the command tent, then followed the aged shaman to another tent across from the command tent.

When we entered the tent I could smell the sweet scent of sandalwood burning along with the smell of various herbs and dried plants that were hung or laid out in the room with meticulous care. Joseph started double checking things with a quick glace around the room he turned to me with a serious look on his face.

"Harry, I asked you to watch over me for a reason." He said in a soft voice that carried the weight of a freight train. "I feel your anger and pain over what's happened. You need to understand that everything is not your fault. You must learn to come to peace with your past before you can truly move forward."

I felt a flush in my cheeks at his kind words, but it still didn't stop the memories and anger from the past from welling up in my brain and my belly.

"Sir" I started but he continued.

"Not everything happens for a purpose, but everything does happen for a reason. The reason leaves fall in the autumn is because the cold weather kills the chlorophyll and the leaves die. The purpose for this is to make room for new leaves and growth in the spring and the leaves on the ground decay to give nourishment to the tree and other plants around it, which is their purpose. However a glass can fall from a table because it was accidently bumped with no purpose for its fall. If you wish to learn the truth of things, find the reason first and then look for a purpose. If things are by design, the pattern should become clear and you can learn from it, if there is no purpose, then there's nothing more to find and you can learn from that as well. Once you do this you can understand and then put things where they belong and let the past rest. You must never forget the past, but you can't cling to it either. You must make peace with your past to have peace in your present young wizard. Then you can begin to grow and move forward with your life again." He said and gave me a kind smile.

"I think I understand what you mean, but what does this have to do with why you chose me?" I could feel my brows knitting and he looked at me and gave a soft laugh.

"Because you are strong and trustworthy, I know you'll do your best to watch over me. That is my reason, if I told you everything, it would defeat my purpose." He said with a kind, knowing smile.

His words rang in my ears, let the past rest and move forward with my life. Until this moment I hadn't really given it much thought, but even though I had great friends and worked hard, I was really going through the motions of living and not fully embracing it as I used to. Like when I met Suzan…

Even though I was with Anastasia now and cared for her deeply, it wasn't the same. I felt that we weren't as close and often wrote this off to her being the Captain of the Wardens, but now that I give it some thought it was also because I always held back a part of myself. I hid the part of me that I couldn't let get hurt again. I was standing in my own way, blocking myself from having what I wanted most.

"Enough philosophy for now, you'll have time to muddle it over later. Now let's begin." I was lost in thought and his words pulled me back to the here and now. Listens to wind gave me a quick smile then turned to the task at hand cheerfully.

'Harry, please go to the kitchen tent and tell them I will require six freshly picked ears of white corn, an ounce of finely ground salt, three one inch thick cuts of beef from the loin two pints of green tea, steeped for three minutes no more, no less and one ounce of sweet butter. I don't need these right now but they will be needed at the end of the ceremony. Also, if you would be so kind, bring back three Danishes from this morning and a large thermos of coffee with plenty of sugar and creamer when you come back."

I went to the kitchen tent and gave them his requirements list and let them know he'd need them in one and a half to two hours from now. As they were scrambling to make the list and figure out who would go where to gather his supplies I helped myself to the coffee and pastries and headed to where the ceremony was being performed. The more I thought about it the more I had to laugh. The things he asked for I had originally assumed he wanted for offerings to finish the ceremony. Corn is often used as an offering but its dried corn and usually yellow corn at that. Meats were rarely ever used and then it was normally dried or cured buffalo or fish, not beef. The only conclusion I could come to given his ingredient list was that he was ordering his lunch. The amounts he had ordered made me think he was planning a picnic.

As I came into the tent Listens-to-Wind was just seating himself in the middle of a small assortment of burning herbs and incents. The smoke made my head spin for a moment as I came in. Something smelled spicy like a smoked chili, others sweet or savory and something smelled like the fresh mud from a stream.

"Did you get everything I asked for?" He said quietly.

"They're working on gathering the stuff for later but I have the coffee and pastries here." I said giving him a wry smile.

"Those are for you, to stay alert while I'm away." He said pointing to the coffee and pastries. "The rest is to replenish my strength after the ceremony. You and Captain Luccio are welcome to join me when we finish here." He told me solemnly. "For now I need you to be still."

"Yep, lunch." I thought to myself.

Listens-to-Wind waved his hand and the tent flaps closed and tied themselves shut. Then he lowered his head and picked up a small round drum with figures drawn upon it. He began to chant softly and hit the drum with his fingertips rhythmically. The smoke coming from the bowls, shells and flat dishes set about him began to circle his waist. As he continued to chant and hit the drum his voice and the drumbeat became louder as the smoke continued to circle him but expanded to form a circle that encompassed the wizard and the burning offerings as it began to glow. The smoke circle began to show colors flowing through the smoke, yellows, reds, browns, purples and blues. As the colors spun around the circle they also playfully entwined and circled around each other until they lowered and touched the ground where the circle turned brilliant silver and solidified.

Listens-to-Wind had his eyes closed and his hair was covering most of his face. When the circle touched the ground he reacted as if an electric current briefly went through him and the tempo and rhythm of the chant and drumbeat changed. His chant became more melodic and the smoke was once again lifting into the air giving off stronger and more pungent smells. Each was easily identifiable but together they made a scent like nothing I had ever experienced.

This smell seemed to balance me. It calmed my nerves and settled my mind. I felt my thoughts becoming more clarified and organized. I felt something deep inside me that ran through my whole body, something that I didn't recognize, that I had never been consciously aware of before, but somehow I knew it was always drawn tight as a bow string. I felt it relax and begin to grow stronger finally being given a chance to rest.

I felt alive and strong, I could feel my heartbeat, my magic, my sense of self and the tangled jumble of my past and present surround me as I began to gain a perspective I'd never known before. My life and entire existence for just a moment seemed to be laid before me like a poorly crafted blanket on a loom, still being added to with each passing moment. I wanted to start pulling and adjusting things here and there to give order and sense to what I saw, to make the blanket properly organized, stronger and just better. As I was feeling this I felt something else. I felt a feint and subtle magic brush over my body. It was then that I realized that my eyes were closed and although I wasn't asleep I wasn't paying attention to the task at hand either.

I was so caught up on what I was feeling that I didn't notice the chant and drumbeat had changed yet again. His chant had become soft and steady, the drumbeats continued softly but in perfect rhythm to his chant. As I came back to myself I looked at the shaman and his image through the smoke and circle began to become fuzzy, as if I was looking at him through a moderate fog. I saw his shape and even though the smoke was light I couldn't clearly see his features. Then I saw what looked like another, insubstantial image of him shift and stand. All I could see of the 'other' him was a feint outline as he turned and silently began to walk away. Once he left the confines of the circle I could no longer see his outline and he was gone.

His voice and hands continued to mete out the chant and drumbeats but I knew that part of him was no longer in the tent. I couldn't feel his vibrant vitality or the depths of his knowledge that he wore like a comfortable shawl. I was at the same time shocked, worried and amazed at what I was seeing.

Now it was my turn, I began to set wards and glyphs around the tent, meticulously and intentionally intertwining them as my newly sharpened mind drew on my knowledge, training and instincts to these things together to create a strong wall of defense around the vulnerable shaman. I created the wards to keep out and ward away anything and everyone except for the shaman who they were designed to protect. As I poured power into the wards I felt them mesh and spring to life creating a thick wall like a tall briar patch between us and the outside world.

Although I'm normally not good with subtle or intricate magic, my mind was sharper than normal and working small threads of magic felt like weaving a basket of small reeds and my hands simply followed the image in my mind as I set each in place like stones in a wall until all were safely and properly in place. Then I carefully touched each lightly with magic and then continued to feed them until they were fully charged.

Through the wards I felt people and animals lightly brush against my wards and unconsciously move to avoid them. I smiled to myself feeling proud of myself for a job well done. Just as I sat down I felt a wave of fatigue wash over me. I wasn't too tired but the concentration and spells did take a toll on me. Just as I became aware of this my eyes fell on the tall thermos of coffee and snacks that the Shaman had instructed me to bring.

"Those are for you." He had told me. I had to wonder exactly how much he knew, was it simply wisdom and experience on his part or was it something more that caused him to prepare so well for this moment. He had said he had a purpose he couldn't tell me about for having picked me to look over him, I had to wonder what he meant. Regardless neither mystery would be solved until he returned so I simply sat cross legged on the floor and made myself a strong cup of coffee and decided to wait.

After my second cup of coffee I guessed we'd been here for at least two hours and still he hadn't returned. I was starting to wonder if I should be worried as he said it would take an hour and a half to two hours to complete his mission and we had to be close two hours by now.

As I was thinking this I felt something enter through my wards. I felt the shaman slip through the wards and into the tent. Then I could see his feint outline stepping into the circle but instead of stepping into himself and sitting down as I had expected, his outline simply put its hand on (possibly into) the head of his body.

"The wards are nearly failing, it's trying to escape. I will shore up the magic and wards as best as I can but we must not let it escape." He stopped for a moment as if to catch his breath, then continued to explain what he had just said seeing the confusion on my face. "The temple is a prison, it draws energy from the outsider trapped within to sedate and contain it, but they've grown weak and it's now awake. I must return, tell Anastasia and bring help. I'll do what I can, but be careful, they will be coming." He said with fear in his voice, his eyes never opened and his body never moved except for his mouth. It was a creepy sight to say the least. Then his outline simply turned and left quickly. I felt it rush out through my wards and he was gone.

Confused and worried, I was in a rush to tell Anastasia what I had just been told. Not thinking clearly I dismissed the wards instead of simply lowering them at the door, to exit the tent. As I reached for the tent flap I heard a ripping sound behind me.

I spun on my heel and reached for my blasting rod but it was too late.

"Don't move wizard." She hissed at me.

I saw what appeared to be Molly standing at the edge of the circle that enclosed Listens-to-wind holding a particularly nasty looking obsidian dagger in her hand.

"You Patasola just don't know when to quit do you?" I roared as my shield bracelet hung loosely against my hand.

"I am NOT Patasola I am Chullachaqui, but I wouldn't expect you to know the difference Wizard. You are trying to release the Devil from his tomb. You are just like the abominations that fed on this village all those long years ago. You only seek power but have no idea of the consequences of your actions. I will stop you…" She hissed with a fire and rage in her eyes that I'd never seen before.

"What?" I said intelligently sounding a little confused. "We're not trying to release that thing." I shouted.

"You lie! I can feel this one's spirit tampering with the wards as we speak! Don't lie to me Wizard!" it screeched. Sparks flew from the dagger as it made contact with the circle that surrounded Listens-to-wind, holding the creature and its weapon at bay.

"Just listen to me, I can explain." I roared at the creature. "He's trying to strengthen the wards, he said the thing is awake and trying to escape, he's trying to contain it." I bellowed. As I stared at the thing it took a step back as if weighing my explanation with its own suspicions.

While we stared at each other I heard the flap to the door rustle and Mouse came into the tent and took a position between myself and the creature. Mouse simply looked from the shaman to the creature and started to wag his tail. Mouse stood as a mountain of fur between me and the creature but also close to the circle around the shaman. His intentions were clear, he was there to protect us but at the same time he was not being aggressive towards this creature. In fact he seemed to be trying to make friends.

Seeing Mouse standing there Molly took another step back. Molly's face showed both amazement and confusion. She simply looked between Mouse and me as if something didn't fit quite right.

"Is he with you?" Molly said in a quiet voice, but she wasn't talking to me she was talking to Mouse.

Mouse gave a doggy grin as his tongue fell out of his mouth and he cocked his head to one side then the other.

"But how, why?" Molly's doppelganger asked perplexed. As if in answer Mouse simply looked at me and Listens-to-wind and stretched and let out a low moan followed by quiet bark.

"I see. I would have never guessed such a thing." Molly said as her face began to lighten up and give a small smile. "Although I don't fully understand your reasoning, I do accept your decision." She said and bowed slightly to Mouse.

At this Mouse moved over and nuzzled her hand as his tail began to wag in earnest. Molly simply smiled brightly and scratched his large head.

"I don't know why such a magnificent being would choose you as his companion but he has made it clear that this is his choice." Although I was glad that the creature was backing off I still took some offense at his words. "Although I don't trust mortals or Wizards for that matter, I trust this creature implicitly and he has assured me that you are speaking the truth." Molly said glancing at me only briefly as she continued to pet Mouse.

"If what you say is true then the situation is dire and your friend is in great danger. If the protections fail, the Devil will be unleashed and destroy all in its path. I will do what I can to prevent this but I am not as strong as I once was. I fear the abominations that feed on humans have something to do with this and they will likely be coming to stop us. Can I count on you and your friends to hold them off to give us time to do what must be done?" Molly asked looking in my face seriously.

"We will do all we can to hold them off and protect you while you and my friend work to restore the wards." I told him honestly.

Molly looked down at Mouse who gave her a wet lick on her hand, then she turned to me gave me a brief smile.

"Then I must be off. Hurry to the temple as I fear time is short." With that Molly vanished and in her place stood a short old man in ragged clothes. It seemed to have a limping gate as I noticed that one if its legs were human and the other seemed to be that of a goat. I was shocked at how nimbly it moved as it quickly slipped under the back wall of the tent and was gone.

Mouse turned and walked over and leaned his shoulder into my thigh and looked up at me with satisfaction. I scratched behind his ears and then petted him down his back.

"Thanks buddy, I appreciate your help! We have to go tell Anastasia and the others about this and get moving." I said patting his shoulder, then turned and rushed out of the tent.

…. … … … …

So you see although I haven't been home in a while I did at least get to kind of see you. It reminded me how much I miss your bright smile and positive energy. Hopefully I'll be able to come home for a while when this is all over.

Please be sure to feed Mister and as always give my best to your family and our friends.

I miss you all.

Sincerely,

Harry


	5. Chapter 5

"Letters from the Front"

Chapter 5

Dear Wizard McCoy,

I hope this letter finds you well. I appreciate the support and extra supplies you've sent to us, Capt. Luccio was relieved when the new supply of rations and troops arrived. Also the letters and news papers were also a great boost to morale. The courier let us know that it was you who pulled him off filing duty to make sure that the letters and packages were delivered in a timely manner. I wanted to thank you personally for doing that.

I know I haven't written to you recently and I know Capt. Luccio is submitting reports to the White Council but I wanted to write to you personally and give you a quick rundown on what's going on. Some of this may or may not have gone into her official reports. I'm not sure how much of this you want to be made public knowledge but I trust your judgment.

I wish I could say that things were going well here, but I'm afraid nothing could be farther from the truth. As you know, shortly after we arrived here we found an abandoned, ancient city. After some investigation we found a strange magic around and coming from the one temple in the complex. By the way, I've got pictures of the temple and it is way cool!

Then while investigating the city to try to determine if it could be used as a temporary base of operations, we were ambushed by the Red Court's mercenaries. In retaliation, the Red Court kidnapped my partner, a junior warden named Shilpa, in an attempt to blackmail us into leaving the area. We have twelve hours left before their deadline expires. This makes me want to kick their butt's even more that before than I did before.

Since then, in an attempt to find out what the Red Court vampires were so interested in, we assumed it was whatever was generating the magic inside the temple, our senior council representative, Listens-to-Wind, has tried to do a Soul Walk into the temple to investigate. Although I'm not 100% clear on what a Soul Walk is exactly, it's been explained to me as basically being similar to Astral Projection or an Out of Body Experience. Either way, it was a way for him to enter the temple without breaking the wards or opening the doors. You probably have more information on this than I do.

Although he hasn't returned (completely), about two hours into the ceremony Listens-to-Wind did become lucid and tell me that there was something in the temple trying to escape and its bonds or bindings were weakening and he would try to repair or strengthen the things containment. I'm not sure what's in there but I do know it's dangerous for him to be out of his body this long and he sounded very concerned, which makes me very worried, because he's not easily shaken.

If that wasn't weird enough, there are creatures here called The Patasola, which can appear to us as a friend or loved one (So far mostly as females for some reason), that are working for the Red Court. They've killed four wardens at this point. Even though we know what they are, they are very convincing.

Now another creature that calls itself a Chullachaqui has turned up and it has a similar ability, to appear as someone its viewer knows and or cares for. The Chullachaqui is, as I understand it, basically the supernatural care taker for the area and temple and it nearly attacked me while I was protecting Listens-to-Wind. However, Mouse interceded before it came to blows and I explained what we are doing here and that the thing held in the temple was about to escape. When he heard that he told me it would be bad if it were to escape and asked for our assistance to protect the temple from the Red Court and its minions while he and Listens-to-Wind ensure the thing doesn't escape.

So basically our stealth raid on the Red Court is completely FUBAR and we stepped into the middle of something we weren't supposed to. Anastasia is having the Wardens protect the temple and patrol the city and surrounding area, setting up wards and protections against the expected attack from the vampires. Listens-to-Wind has been out of his body for six hours now and we can't move him so some of the senior wardens have remained in camp with me to protect him while he's 'away'.

I have to tell you, things here look grim. Anastasia has kept everyone busy and morale is okay but the tension in the air is thick and the younger wardens are scared. I can't say I blame them and would probably be worried for them if they weren't a little scared.

I know you have a lot on your plate right now, but I wanted to make sure you were getting more than simply 'official information' about what's going on down here. If this goes bad, it has the potential to be a major problem and possibly a game changer for the War. I don't know what's in there but from what the Chullachaqui said I get the impression it's big, mean and powerful. If he Red Court were able to control such a thing, it could cause us serious trouble to say the least. The impression I got was that if it were to be released it would lay waste to the entire region and that's just for starters…

… … … …

The incents were burning down to nothing as I sat in the dim candle lit tent watching the slow, rhythmic rise and fall of the old Indians chest as he lay there unconscious. His body laid in a circle created with colored sand and both inside and out there were intricate patterns and symbols that I didn't understand. I wasn't sure if the incents were necessary to continue the spell or ceremony and I was starting to get worried.

Unexpectedly, Anastasia quietly slipped into the tent. Even in the dim light her face looked tired and drawn. She tried to put on a bright smile as she faced me but the undertones of stress and worry showed around her pretty eyes.

"How's he doing Harry?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"Physically he seems okay, he's hardly moved at all since he started the ceremony, but that's not what I'm worried about." I told her motioning towards the nearly empty braziers carefully placed around the room. "I don't know what happens if the incents run out…"

"I see." She said as she pulled a bag pouch from one of the large pockets on her military jacket. "He gave me these just in case. They aren't absolutely necessary but they do help reinforce the spell." She said as she opened the bag and started to produce smaller bags full of incents.

Together we spent the next several minutes carefully adding incents to the braziers and then sat together in the dark aromatic room.

Looking into the darkness Anastasia turned her head to me with a weak smile.

"Don't worry Harry, he'll be fine. This is just another mission." She said trying to convince herself as much as me.

"I know and we're going to win this battle just like that last one." I told her sounding more confident than I actually was.

Her mouth wore a practiced confident smile, but her eyes betrayed her thoughts, asking me if I really believed what I had just said. Seeing her questioning eyes I felt anger and defiance grow in my belly. The image of Shilpa's smiling face flashed in my mind's eye as I looked at Anastasia. We had to win this one.

"Harry, you should take a break. You've been watching him for hours." Anastasia said as she gazed into the shadow and smoke filled corners of the tent. "You should go get something to eat and stretch your legs a little."

"I'm fine. I promised him I'd watch over him until he returned." I muttered staring at nothing in particular.

"I could make it an order, Harry."

"You could. But then I'd say no and you'd say I was disobeying a direct order and it would turn into a big issue and you'd lock me in a tent like this and I'd still not get to take a walk." I told her with a forced grin.

"You're right, so why don't you just let me watch him for a little while and you can go get US some coffee and something to eat?" She said sensibly.

At the mention of food my stomach rumbled in reply for me. "Well when you put it that way."

Anastasia gave me a kind smile as I got up and headed for the flap in the tent. Just before opening the flap, I turned back to her. Seeing her worried face watching me I smiled as kindly as I could.

"I think I may still have some goodies left over from Molly's last care package."

"I thought you were holding out on me." She said with a genuine laugh.

With that I turned and left the tent. I headed back to my tent to rummage for the last of the cookies in my secret hiding spot.

When I arrived at my tent I heard low voices coming from inside.

"We have enough to worry about with everything that's going on and Capt. Luccio hasn't signed off on your little plan anyway."

"I don't care. She's a warden and I'm not going to simply follow orders and let her die!" Carlos spat at the first person.

"Calm down, nobody said anything about letting her die. We don't know where she is and can't really plan a rescue if we don't know where she is." A third voice more sensibly.

"I know Harry can locate her, it's what he does best." Carlos retorted.

"You mean besides burning down things. Like a Vampires gala party and starting a war?" said the first voice, I was pretty sure it was Henderson.

"You know how that went down. You might let your girlfriend get killed or turned by the Red Court but most men wouldn't. I would have done the same thing in his shoes and most of the rest of us would have too." Carlos said getting angry.

"So because of some hero complex you share with Dresden you want me to risk my neck, not just with the Red Court but also with the Wardens? I like her as much as anyone, but she knew the risks when she put on the gray cloak and we simply don't have the man power to deal with this right now." Henderson took a long breath and then continued. "This is what they want us to do! They want us to come to where they have the advantage so they can kill or turn as many of us as they can. It's a fool's errand! I'm sorry but she's simply collateral damage."

All faces turned to me and most looked afraid as I felt the blood pumping through my face as I threw the flap up and entered the tent.

"Harry…" Carlos said in surprise as he moved to stand between Henderson and myself. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough." I snarled.

Henderson moved to keep Carlos between us as I entered the tent and pulled the flap down behind me.

"Carlos, Henderson is right." I snapped, my words causing all jaws to drop in the room.

"Harry? You can't be serious?" Carlos hissed in shock.

"Finally someone is listening to reason." Henderson gloated.

The others simply watched is surprise.

"The cold hearted bastard has it right." I continued. "We are pressed thin right now and Capt. Luccio needs every man at his post to protect Listens-To-Wind and the temple. Whatever is inside there is too important to let it fall into the Red Courts hands."

"But Harrry…" Carlos gasped.

"That does NOT mean I'm going to let Shilpa die." I said glaring at Henderson. "She's not a number in an acceptable loss category. She's not cannon fodder. She was MY partner and she's a member not only of the White Council, but also of the Wardens. We won't leave her in enemy hands, one way or another we're bringing her home."

"I won't let you go alone Harry!" Carlos snapped defiantly and at his words a few heads in the room bobbed up and down in agreement.

"Carlos, like you said, this is what I do best." I said with a devilish smile. "On top of that we have a Senior Council member who's all but defenseless, a temple we have to secure and who knows how many more nasty things are going to be coming out of the woodwork down here once things get heated. Capt. Luccio will need everyone she has on hand to make this work and I'm counting on each and every one of you to support her and back her up." I told them sounding responsible, when all I could think about was killing that red court bastard. He threw down the gauntlet, I'd be damned if I was going to let someone else kill him. Also having seen how worried Anastasia was in the tent just now the last thing I wanted to do was add to her worries and leave her short handed.

I looked around the room as the other wardens thought about what I said.

"Shilpa is my partner and my responsibility, I won't let her down. You need to protect the temple, Listens-to-Wind and each other. I won't be gone too long and I won't be going alone." I told them.

"Damn right! I'm going with you!" Carlos said with a grin.

"You're going to stay here and protect Listens-to-Wind." I retorted. "I'll take Mouse with me, he's saved my bacon more times than I can count and he doesn't talk back."

Henderson snorted and then turned to me, "Dresden, you know he's just a dog. You talk about him like he's a person."

"Well Henderson, that's because he's smarter and a better person than you are. That and I trust him a lot more than I do you to have my back in a fight." I snapped causing a chorus of giggles to erupt in the small tent. Henderson simply glared at me as he turned red and sat down on Carlos's bunk.

I rummaged under my bunk and pulled out a small knap sack and turned to face the others in our tent.

"So are we clear on this?" I asked.

Heads nodded in agreement, except for Carlos who watched my face with a pensive look.

"Good, now I'm sure you all have somewhere else to be." I said as I opened the flap to our tent.

Henderson left first, and quickly. As the others filtered out I received a couple hugs and shoulder pats that made me less than comfortable. Most wished me luck on the mission and one or two others reminded me that they were here and ready to go if I changed my mind.

Once they were all gone Carlos grabbed my shoulder.

"Harry, I know what you said and I know Mouse is formidable, but I still don't feel right not coming with you." He said with a look of determination and pain on his face.

"There will be other missions Carlos. I'm coming back." I told him flatly.

"Harry!"

"Carlos, look…" I said turning to face him. "I need you to do something for me. I promised Listens-to-Wind that I'd watch over him. I need you to cover for me while I'm gone. I trust you and only you to do this for me. You know how seriously I take a promise and if there was any other way I'd keep this one myself. Since I can't, I need you to do it for me." I told him giving him a serious look.

"Harry, be careful." He said soberly.

"I always am…" I said with a wry smile.

I left the tent to find Mouse sitting outside watching the flap as I came out. Mouse's big doggy eyes watched me and his tail wagging against the ground. I clicked my tongue and tilted my head towards the mess tent and he fell in beside me moving with a happy gate.

"There's a lot riding on this and I'm going to need your help to pull this off, are you up to it buddy?" I asked as we moved through the tents towards the center of camp.

Mouse gave me a sneeze and looked up at me expectantly as if to say, "Bring it on boss." I just smiled back and rubbed his head.

We made our way to the mess tent and gathered some coffee, a sugar shaker and a few little containers of powdered creamer. Then we made the short walk to the VIP tent. As we entered Anastasia glanced at Mouse and me.

"I have the coffee… and.." I handed her a cup and then sat next to her, laying out the goodies I'd managed to gather.

"Not exactly a feast but it's as close to one as we've had here in a while." Anastasia said looking at the ding dong's and cookies and other meager remnants of the junk food that Molly had sent to me.

"Anastasia.." I said turning to her, seeing her face go flat from my serious tone. "There's something I have to do and Carlos has agreed to help watch over Listens-To-Wind for me while I'm gone."

"I was wondering when you'd get around to this." She said with a sigh. "You're going after Shilpa aren't you?" She asked oddly not angry or defensive but more resigned to the though, having expected it. "I don't suppose I can stop you?" She asked looking at her coffee cup.

"I am and no, this is something I have to do. I'm taking Mouse with me and it shouldn't take too long."

"Harry, I can't go with you this time. There's too much at stake and if I thought ordering you to stay would keep you from this, I would." She said putting her hand on mine and looking into my face. "Harry I don't want to lose you… If you don't come back I'll never forgive you." She said quietly, briefly showing me a side of her that she rarely showed. She wasn't the Captain of the Wardens. She was a woman talking to her lover. She was open, vulnerable and she was beautiful.

"Anna, I'm coming back. I'm not going to leave you." I said lifting my hand to cup her cheek, and then softly kissed her lips. It was a long kiss, the touch of her soft, warm lips against mine sending tingles through my body reminding me that I was not only alive but a Very Lucky man.

As Anastasia pulled away from me I saw her wipe a tear from her cheek and as it were the source of the crack in her armor, her face changed back to that of the formidable Captain Luccio, her eyes sharp and bright, and her chin held high as if to dare anyone to try to take a poke at it.

"You will return, Warden Dresden, that's an order."

… … … …

That's about all I have for now sir, but if you cold please let the Carpenters and Murphy know I'm fine and will hopefully be home in a few weeks I'd really appreciate it.

Best regards,

Harry


	6. Chapter 6

"Letters from the Front"

Chapter 6

Dear Molly,

I just got your last letter and I'm glad to hear your Dad's business is going well. Getting the contract for two new subdivisions in such a nice neighborhood is huge for him. I'm very happy for him. Nobody deserves the success more than he does.

Things here are pretty much business as usual. I can't go into it but will have to sit down for dinner with your family when I get back and give you the family edited version of what's happened. For some reason I keep remembering tonight is the night your mom makes Italian, her lasagna has filled my dreams for days.

I hate to cut this short but I've got a couple of things that need my immediate attention.

…. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. ….

I had taken the time to gather up several 'good to have' items and stashed them in my back pack along with the usual things, first aid kit, water, energy bars (that I'd hidden from the camp when Molly's last care package came in) along with rope and other essentials for surviving in the jungle.

I headed to Shipas tent, if I was going to find her I needed a little piece of her tell me where the rest of her was.

"Warden Dresden? What can I do for you?" The young redheaded warden asked, standing in the flap of her tent. She was wearing her fatigue pants and a t-shirt with the ever flattering combat boots. Her warden issued clothes seemed to fit her well. This woman was 5'8" about 125 pounds give or take a few pounds and although she wasn't masculine in appearance, I'd guess she could handle herself in a fight. From what I could see her body was lean and toned with an athletic build and slightly more than a modest bosom, that would look great in a black slinky dress, but it was more the sharp clear green eyes and how she sized me up glancing behind and around me. It told me she tended to think three moves ahead with an exit strategy and fight plan forming in her head as she finally gave me a faint smile. Then again in this environment, it wasn't paranoia that made one think like that, it was a matter of survival and she looked at first glance to be a survivor.

"Hi, Bonnie, I was wondering if I could have a look through Shilpa's things." I told glancing into the tent behind her.

"I thought you might be stopping by." She said with a look of satisfaction. "I think I have what you're looking for right here." She told me turning slightly to grab a small plastic bag. As she handed it to me I saw what must have been four or five long dark hairs, neatly coiled and placed in a zip top baggy. "Tracking lost women is your specialty…" She said with a mischievous grin.

"Tracking in general, the sex doesn't matter to me." I told her, thinking I should have thought about that sentence before I spoke as her cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

"That's not what the girls are saying." She said teasing me. The bag in her fingers swung slightly as she leaned against the tent pole raising one dark eyebrow.

"I meant it doesn't matter what sex the person I'm tracking is. Hell half the things I track aren't even human." I told her, not used to the innuendo and wondering how much 'the girls' knew about my sex life and why it was a topic of conversation. Hearing this, her brows raised making me think she was still getting the wrong idea.

Her face turning serious, Bonnie looked up at me, pushing the bag towards me. "Harry, Shilpa is my friend and the closest thing to an innocent we have in this place. I know you'll find her, please bring her back safely."

The last bit made me wonder what other stories had been floating around the camp and made me grimace as I took the bag from her hand. "She's my friend too and my partner. I'll get her back. I'm taking back up this time." I said patting Mouse's melon sized head.

"Somehow I believe you." Bonnie said her face softening as she crossed her pale arms across her chest. "If it were Carlos or anyone else I'd have a bit of doubt, but I know somehow you will make it happen."

"I'll have her back in time for breakfast." I told her evenly, then glancing back into the messy tent with dirty clothes, weights and other exercise gear strewn about the room. "You might want to tidy up. She strikes me as a bit of a clean freak." I told her half to show off and half to give her something to do besides worry for the next few hours.

"Whatever you say Warden Dresden." She said with that mischievous smile again. She stood up straight and somehow I got the impression that this particular smile was not only fitting for her but one of her favorite expressions.

"Thank you Bonnie." I told her as I put the bag into my pocket. "You two don't leave this sort of thing laying around do you?" I asked glancing into the messy tent again. For a normal person leaving hair in a brush is no big deal, but for a wizard it's an invitation for trouble. Disposing of such things is taught in Warden training 101, so I was curious how she got the hair from her bunk mate.

"No, shilpa is usually very good about cleaning these things up, we both are. When the attack happened she had just come off shift and then she just ran to where the fight was. She didn't stop to clean up like she normally would have." Bonnie told me, her smile disappearing as her brows furrowed, remember how her friend left the tent and disappeared. "Then when I found those I thought someone may have a use for them." She said giving me a meaningful look. "You were busy with the Captain and Listens to Wind so I didn't have a chance to get these to you."

"You could have given it to Carlos or Henderson."

"I didn't want to see Carlos or Henderson taking off half cocked and getting hurt." She said honestly. "You on the other hand do this sort of thing for sport or that's what the rumors suggest anyway."

"Yeah well don't believe everything you hear."

"I don't, just the good stuff." She said playfully stepping back into her tent to start picking up.

"Thanks again." I just smirked and turned away, Mouse close behind as we made our way back to my tent.

Once inside I quickly swept the hard clay floor and used salt to make a circle. Sitting in the circle I took off the pentacle necklace my Mother had given me and then sorted through the hairs to find one that had the root intact. I focused on Shilpa using her hair to tie my spell to the person as I carefully wrapped and tied the hair onto the pendant.

I drew in energy as I held the pendant in my hand binding the hair to the person and making a magical connection between the two, an affinity making them drawn to each other. As I focused my will and intention I pushed the energy into the pendant and hair, imagining the spell as a transparent bubble of energy over the pendant with a silvery string extending from the spell to Shilpa. Once everything was in place and I had the image and function of the spell clear and defined in my mind I pumped energy into it and then kicked with my foot to break the circle, letting the silvery string find and link to its target. As I opened my eyes I saw the pendant dangling from its chain tugging towards the back of the tent, confirming that it was working.

I was relieved feeling the familiar pull of the tracking spell. It's not that I hadn't expected the spell to work. It was more that I had been concerned that the Red Court vampires may have tried to conceal her from magic detection. After all they did start a ruckus in a camp full of wizards who were expecting to be in battle. Maybe they were too concerned with other things or maybe this guy didn't know that much about wizards. Maybe it was a trap. Either way I didn't have much of a choice.

Mouse and I headed into the jungle. It was late afternoon and the shadows were growing long and deep in the thick undergrowth of the forest. Moving through the thick vegetation was difficult enough but the heat and humidity made even the air feel heavy and thick. I sliced my way through the vines and branches mechanically, following the tugging of the pendant knowing there was a young woman who was waiting for me at the other end of the spell.

I moved as quickly as I could through the jungle. Taking a minor detour as I came around the edge of the lost city, I stayed in sight of the city but also well inside the tree line. Glancing now and then to see if there were any obvious signs of vampires or other predators, I saw the sun a few hours from setting over the tops of the jungle canopy to the west. Mouse followed on my heels, his ears up and his eyes and nose checking the local environment for any potential problems as we progressed.

After about an hour I felt the tug on the pendant start to grow progressively stronger, indicating I was getting near its target, my partner. We slowed our pace and moved more stealthily as we neared what must have been a village, long since abandoned. If what the Chullachaqui had said earlier was true, then this village may well have come to a quick terrifying end thanks to those who were holding my partner. The thought of the mass slaughter in what I could easily imagine to have been a peaceful village as well as the larger lost city only served to fuel my anger and strengthen my resolve.

Mouse let out a low growl as we were passing the ruins of a small building. We stopped and I crouched down beside the low wall and pushed out my senses. In the growing shadows before sunset I could feel the vibrant jungle and the creepy crawlies that called it their home and then off to my right and again to my left I could sense a coldness that sent shivers up my spine.

"They're close." I whispered to mouse, he nudged my arm in agreement and then sniffed the air again and looked ahead of us and a little to the left. There was a building that was larger than the others and was probably some sort of meeting place for the village originally. Now as I pushed my senses farther I could feel more cold spots, a lot more. Their numbers and proximity to each other gave off a strong nasty aura that made my skin crawl and even Mouse seemed to be bothered by it. What made matters worse was that for every two vampires there was a Patasola, who felt just as sick as the vampires but somehow more dangerous. Maybe it's because they were new to me and I had only messed with one, but they bothered me.

They were in and around the building and I could feel one strong presence in particular, warm and defiant like a beacon of the summer's warmth in the winter courts throne room. I could make out another single powerful presence of seething cold sickness that made my flesh crawl and my stomach want to turn. That had to be their leader.

I couldn't sense any magic I the area, not even the subtle magic of wards or charms. I sighed relieved that they didn't have the benefit of a wizard on their side or this could have made things much harder. I suppose when you can live forever, play god with the lives and cultures of your prey and are faster, stronger and meaner than they are, you could tend to get a little complacent. That and from what I've seen Red Court Vampires have fairly high opinions of themselves and don't get out much. Usually it would irritate me but right now it was working in my favor.

"First we take care of the guards then we move in." I whispered to mouse. He let out a low soft growl, his deep voice making the leaves tremble under him as he looked to the right where I had sensed the first sentry.

We moved slowly and quietly, knowing that one broken branch or one sniff of our scent could send up the alarm. I stopped about fifty feet away from her. She was sitting next to the remains of an old building, leaning back lazily under a tarp that protected her from direct sun light, even under the canopy of the dense jungle trees.

"Let's see if I can do this quietly." I whispered to mouse. I pulled my staff from my pack and pushed my anger and anxiousness into it like water into a fire hose. I mentally condensed and constricted the power as I continued to feed it into the staff causing the runes to glow an orange color as I leveled the staff, aiming down its straight shaft as a hunter would sight down the barrel of a rifle. "Feugo" I said quietly sending short burst of superheated, compressed heat and anger about half the size of a basketball streaking at her jaw.

She turned her head having caught the motion of the orange ball from the corner of her eye. She had enough time to let her eyes go wide and open her mouth and begin to inhale for a scream as it impacted against her head. Her mouth, neck and face were engulfed and quickly incinerated as the magical flames quickly filled her lungs and engulfed her body, sending a cloud of greasy black acrid smoke into the jungle. She writhed and tried to scream for a few moments, her lungs filled with the fire which quickly spread inside her body. Her body simply bloated and then her flesh mask and oily black skin both split, and oozed burning fluids and entrails. She collapsed quietly on the moss covered stone as Mouse and I moved towards the second sentry.

The second sentry was sniffing the air and scanning the area. I don't think he knew quite what he smelled yet. The wind was blowing the other direction, carrying the putrid scent of his burning partner away from him but he caught a whiff of something that bothered him. Mouse gave me a serious look then back at the sentry as if to tell me that time wasn't on my side.

I leveled my staff again, aiming it like a laws rocket, resting my cheek against the shaft, one end over my shoulder the other sticking out if front of me. I poured more power into the staff this time mixing it with a little soul fire as I gripped the staff in both hands. When the runes glowed a brilliant silver and the wood felt like it was about to burst, I whispered. "Forzare"

An invisible shaft of energy shot from my staff, I had imagined it with a sharp pointy tip like a lance. It struck the second sentry at the base of the skull angled slightly upward. His body shot up off the ground a few inches as his head was suddenly ventilated. Gore and black sticky blood spayed in front of him as a three inch hole was blasted on opposite sides of his skull, pulverizing and evacuating all matter between them in an instant. He collapsed onto the hard ground with a dull thud. Although stealth wasn't my favorite style in a fight, they should have known better then to mess with a group of wardens. Wizards can be tricky and unpredictable…

"Now it's your turn buddy." I whispered to Mouse. "I need a diversion to draw them away from Shilpa and if it will slow them down as we leave, all the better. " Mouse just gave me a doggy smile and licked my hand, then turned and disappeared into the jungle. It amazed me how a creature about as big and strong as a car can move so fast and quietly in the thick underbrush. Then again I keep getting reminded that Mouse isn't an ordinary dog.

I sat and waited about three or four minutes before I heard a loud howl that shook the ground coming from the far side of the vampire's encampment. There was a force to it, an energy that seemed to vibrate in my head, and then the forest went silent. I don't mean the howling just stopped but the whole area went graveyard silent. Nothing moved, even the gentle breeze stopped. Then there was a low rumble. I could sense the vampires moving in the direction of the sound and felt something else. Like a million little pin pricks of hot angry energy moving from all directions towards the encampment.

"That's my signal." I said to myself as I rushed to the closest building. Peeking around the corner at the stone entry way into the temple filled with vampires, I could hear a commotion from inside as the vampires and Patasola were moving towards the exits to investigate the sound. The majority of them were streaming out the far exit towards Mouse but there were others coming towards me.

I gripped my staff and started to push fire and rage into it as the adrenaline started to kick in. I was about to spin around the corner and blast the first few vampires I saw but a wave of angry brown fur washed past me just as I was ready. There was a dull roar of hundreds of little feet as and shrill screeching of spider and howler monkeys as they flew past me and covered the four unfortunate Red Court Vampires that were just exiting the building. The wave of fur and fangs washed into and around the building ripping and biting at the Patasola and vampires. They weren't killing them outright but given time they would make a nice dent in the bloodsucking community gathered here tonight. I heard a loud bark, that rattled the stone of the building and sent birds flying from the canopy as shrieks and howls of monkeys and vampires erupted in earnest at the far side of the building.

I rushed into the temple to see the well dressed vampire who had taken Shilpa weaving through the onslaught dancing with amazing speed and accuracy, his sword only a deadly silver blur in the lamp light of the temple. Monkey parts were flying from in front of him sending blood and fur along with howls of pain and rage into the enclosed place. There was the chainsaw sound of automatic weapon fire and the loud barking of a shotgun in the front of the building. The scene was as macabre as it was surreal.

Against the wall nearest to me, just past the dapper swordsman I saw my partner. Shilpa lay on the ground tied and gagged. She had a few bruises and a swollen cheek and lip that were new since I had last seen her but otherwise looked no worse for wear.

I had thought about simply trying to sneak past in the confusion and escape unnoticed. Then again, why leave the party early? I drew a long knife from my hip and threw it just in front of Shilpa. She jumped slightly as the heavy knife thudded and skidded to a stop next to her. She was surprised as she was taking in the carnage and spectacle of the attack of the killer monkeys and hadn't noticed me slip in the back with the wave of fur and fangs. She grabbed the knife and quickly freed her feet.

Evidently she wasn't the only one who noticed the knife as the dapper swordsman turned to face me. He didn't miss a beat swinging the deadly blade as his attention turned to me. He gave me a toothy smile and in a blur of motion closed the twenty feet to me and impacted hard against my barely formed shield. His hands were stretched over his head and blue rings were dancing over the surface of my shield as my bracelet became very warm from the blow. He looked like a mime doing, "Ran into a brick wall" and was very convincing.

Normally my rings charge pretty slowly, but hacking through the jungle works like a quick charge for them. Holding my staff firmly I thrust my fist towards him and released all the kinetic force I'd stored in my rings over the last few days. The force of the three rings hit him dead center in his chest, lifting him from his feet and throwing him to land on his back right about where he had started from. He landed in a dazed heap and somehow managed to keep from impaling himself with his polished English long sword.

"Now works for me Shilpa!" I shouted over the din to my newly freed partner as I leveled my staff

"I'm ready Harry!" She shouted and quickly ran in my direction as a group started moving in on her. They turned towards me, picking up speed as they came. I leveled my staff again and pumped energy into it adding a touch more soul fire, thinking I'd need the extra oomph for these four as I dropped my shield letting Shilpa slip behind me.

I shouted "Forzare" and let a plane of energy erupt from the tip of my staff. It grew wider as it extended out, hitting all four just above the knee caps. There was a sick crunching sound mixed with shrill screams as their legs snapped back the wrong direction, forcing them to the ground.

Shilpa lifted her hands above her head and yelled "Pavana" and I felt a rush of magic blow past me as a wall of wind swirled around her and started to push outward. The wind picked up the dust and debris that had built up on the stone floor for centuries creating a swirling cloud of fast moving dirt, sticks and twigs. Monkeys and vampires alike howled and covered their eyes as small tornados tore through the room.

I grabbed Shilpas hand and raised my shield again. We ran out the back of the building into a small group of vampires and Patasola frantically trying to fight the nimble and ferocious monkeys. One had managed to work himself free. His flesh mask and clothes were completely gone and his black skin glistened with sweat and dark sticky blood in the waning light. When he saw Shilpa and I come out of the old stone building being pushed by hundred mile an hour winds, he simply turned and ran. He got about fifty feet before four new monkeys pounced on him, driving him face and fangs first into the hard, sun baked clay ground.

I put my fingers to my mouth and was about to whistle when I saw a mountain of gray and brown fur come around the corner of the building at a leisurely trot. His tail wagging and a doggy smile on his face Mouse joined us, glancing back at a loud scream of outrage and pain. It was their leader coming to his senses, seeing his prey had disappeared.

I lifted my staff and poured magic and soulfire into it and pointed to the canopy of the jungle. "Feugo"

I moved my staff like a flame thrower, moving the thin beam of fire and heat along the top branches of the trees to the west. Soon there was a gaping hole in the canopy that was growing bigger by the second. As Shilpa, Mouse and I stood there, we were bathed in sunlight as was most of the building behind us as the sun came into plain view. Birds took to the air with chirps, squawks and other indignant sounds as the fire raged in the tree tops, dropping burning debris to the jungle below.

"That should buy us a little time." I told Shilpa and Mouse. Mouse sneezed and Shilpa beamed up at me, her dark eyes wide under her long dark bangs.

"After you…" She said sweetly.

"Not a chance. I'm not letting you out of my sight again."

"Harry…" She said sounding almost a little offended, or maybe a little flattered. With some women you just can't tell the difference.

"If we're late for dinner Carlos won't forgive us." I told her with a smirk.

With that we headed into the forest. Dodging snakes, bugs and other creepy crawlies as the shadows went from translucent wisps to opaque things, growing larger and darker as the sun made its way over the mountains to the West. We skipped the mandatory breaks as adrenaline and need pressed us towards the safety of numbers, knowing that very soon there would be a large number of very annoyed vampires heading our direction.

…. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. ….

Also in answer to your question, yes, if I find a t-shirt or leather shop, I'll get you a souvenir. Just know there aren't a lot of vendors where I'm at, but I'll try.

Don't forget to feed Mister and tell your Mom and Dad I said Hi. Hopefully I'll be back soon and can tell you all about it.

Sincerely,

Harry


	7. Chapter 7

"Letters from the Front"

Chapter 7

Dear Molly,

Sorry I haven't written lately but things have been busy here. I really don't have a lot of time right now but wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know that I'm alive and well.

I'm not exactly sure when I'll be coming home as things here aren't going as planned and I have no idea if that will move the time table up or back but will keep you informed as things move along.

Trust me when I tell you that I've been busy…

…. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. ….

"Why do you do this mortal?" the voice asked. It sounded like the rumbling of bedrock.

"You will not be allowed to roam freely here. You don't belong in this world." The aged Indian replied smoothly and calmly.

"It's no use, they are beyond the point of repairing, and you are trying to hold back a flood with a thimble. You must see that by now." The voice said again.

"I do what I must." Listens to wind said. He continued to spin a web of fine magic from ward to ward, shoring them up and trying to patch the small holes of wards that had stopped working.

"You can't stop me, you can only delay the inevitable. Even now more and more wards are failing, it's only a matter of time before I'm free and then you will be one of the first to die." It growled the voice full of malevolence and hatred for the old man who fought to prolong his incarceration.

"Then you'll have to kill me too." The calm voice of the Chullachaqui softly echoed as it came up a set of stairs across the room from where the spirit of the old Indian squatted while working. "I have no intention of allowing you to be released either."

Listens to wind simply looked up and nodded with a slight smile and continued working.

"You… After all these years I had thought you dead by now." The voice rasped.

"My kind is long lived ancient one. I hope you are not disappointed at my return." It said as it began to inspect the intricate framework of wards and spells long powered by the temple and the evil one contained inside.

The room was huge, the ceiling was twenty feet high and the room was at the base of the pyramid, taking up nearly the entire bottom floor. The walls were adorned with gold and silver inlay depicting the struggle and eventual capture of the creature, showing hills of bodies of humans and animals piled and burning as far as the eye could see as the temple was constructed around the trap that had finally stopped the monsters vicious rampage.

The floor and ceiling were carved with intricate circles and symbols, inlaid with gems and precious metals. These circles constructed the ancient spells and wards that held the creature at bay. One circle towards the center contained the spell that took the magic given off by the powerful creature and in turn fed it to the wards and circles that contained it.

"This is a most interesting containment spell you've constructed." Listens to wind said looking up at the image of a young Indian woman he had known well when he was younger. She was still in the flower of her youth wearing a jeans and a white button up shirt. Her long black hair fell to her hips and it glistened and swayed gently as she moved. She looked at him with large dark eyes and smiled kindly.

"It is an ancient magic that was used when the earth was new and wanderers had visited from beyond to see what had been created. Even for my kind this magic is old and nearly forgotten. Then this one appeared and sought the destruction of this world and all that resided in it. It laid waste to lush forests turning them into desolate desert and draining the life from all it came across. It was here we made our final stand and managed to stop its rampage and here it has been contained to this very day." She said examining the construct, tracing the intricacies of the spells with her finger.

"Compared to me you are but insects! Your lives are meaningless to beings such as me." The thing roared causing dust to fall from the ceiling as the room shook.

"Even insects will sting when attacked." Listens to wind calmly replied. "However, you seem to be quite healthy, I'm sure it is only your pride that has sustained any real damage."

The radiating wave of hate and anger pushed Listens to wind back slightly as he struggled to continue to work.

"Human, your task here is done. I know these spells better than you do and can repair them faster than you. You have been away from your body too long. Your friends are worried and your body grows weak. It is time for you to return." The woman said gently as her hands danced among the invisible strings of power woven into a prison for the creature.

"I can stay a little longer. The risk to me is not that great compared to the risk of this escaping." He said evenly setting back about his task.

"Suit yourself, but don't stay too long and be careful not to go near any of the inner circles." She said glancing at the ghost image of the old wizard. "The inner circles channel his otherworldly power and use it to build up what you know as magic, which powers the wards that bind him. His power comes from outside our world so you must be careful not to touch it or it will destroy you."

Her face softened as she took a moment to gaze at him "There aren't many like you left, you have much to teach the younglings outside. Please be careful."

"They have much left to teach me as well." He said with a wry smile as he slowly moved around the circle to the next section, careful to avoid the inner circles as he mended the weakened wards.

… \\\ … Meanwhile, elsewhere in the forest. …\\\...

At first I was amazed at how well Shilpa kept up as we ran through the forest. Then as we continued dashing and dodging our way through the underbrush and following what little trail I had created on the way to find her I noticed it was me not her who started to breath hard first. I was a runner and would run almost every day if I could when I was at home, but jogging along a sidewalk or track is different than running for your life through a jungle. Mouse however, had no problem keeping up with us at an even jogging pace.

I knew we must be getting close as we ran through the trees, my staff and her wand illuminating the forest around us and ahead of us.

"Do you need to stop or rest Harry?" Shipa asked giving me a worried look.

"Yeah, next gas station you see we'll stop for a Coke and a Twinkie." I panted back and redoubled my efforts. Shilpa rolled her eyes then a few minutes later pointed up through the trees. We could see lights around the temple and closer lights around the perimeter of the city. "We're almost there." I told her reassuringly.

As we came closer Mouse let out three loud barks that nearly rattled the tree tops. Then I heard voices ahead. We slowed to a fast jog as we came around the corner of a ruined building just inside the tree line to see two wardens standing near what looked like a bonfire with their staves leveled at us.

"It's us!" I said quickly raising my hands.

"How do we know it's really you and not one of those things? They can look like anyone." The younger warden blurted out, holding his staff in shaky hands.

"First off they look like a loved one, so unless you have some feelings for me that I don't want to know about, then I'm me. Secondly, don't be an ass, get out of my way." I snapped at the new warden and brushed past him pushing his staff aside.

"Yep, it's him." The older warden said with a grimace and turned back to observe the tree line.

"Look sharp there's a bunch of pissed off vampires following us." I warned them. The older one sent up a burst of orange flame high into the air from the tip of his staff, raising the alarm that the enemy was closing. Around the camp there was movement and orders being barked as the wardens readied themselves for an impending attack.

Shilpa giggled and gave me a sidelong glance as we pushed into the ruined city. I noticed her cheeks were a little flushed and her half smile before she saw me looking at her. She quickly pushed past me towards the main group of wardens farther in the city center. "We must get to the Captain to report what's happening." She said as she pulled just ahead of me.

We hurried towards the ancient temple and were half way through the city when the first wave of vampires hit the tree line. There were shouts of surprise and the sound of swords clashing and automatic weapons firing as flashes of light and the discernible pulses of power being unleashed to repel the attackers.

"I see you brought friends." Luccio shouted at me as I climbed the steep stairs with the sounds of fighting trailing behind us. My legs and lungs were on fire and still moving out of sheer force of will as we reached the top. Panting and red faced I saw Anastasia surveying the battle and giving orders as other wizards were casting various spells, some offensive others defensive as the sounds of the chaos began to get louder as the growing number of intrudes was met by the wardens.

"It's only fair. I crashed their party first." I replied as I drew close enough to see the crystal tile setting on a makeshift table near the door to the temple. It had small pebbles of red and white around the edges and as new enemies or wardens entered the area depicted in the crystal, the pebbles would move showing positions and movements.

"Seriously Dresden, I can't take you anywhere without you starting a ruckus." She sarcastically as she studied the tile and pebbles closely.

"You can say that all you want to, but I'm never boring."

"I'll give you that, but I could use boring now and then." She said quietly as she studied the enemy movements.

"Where's Carlos?" I asked stretching my back and looking around the city seeing the flashes and explosions moving either side and starting to fall back in the middle. Meaning there were more vampires converging on the city and pushing our men back.

"He's leading reinforcements into the fight near where you came into the city. It's where most of the fighting is going on."

"Make sure you hold some back for when they try to flank us." I heard myself say, regretting those words as they escaped my big mouth. Captain Luccio didn't say a word and only looked at me briefly but that was enough to make me wish I was somewhere else. Shilpa took a nervous step back and to the side, distancing herself from me.

"Captain, where can I help?" Shilpa asked with more confidence and conviction than I expected from her at this moment.

"You and Warden Dresden should stay here for the time being. Eventually we'll be fighting to defend this temple if they keep coming in these numbers. Catch your breath and prepare yourself." Captain Luccio said without turning her head.

Shilpa and I moved back towards the stairs and sat down. My feet were dangling over the edge of the huge stone for this step of the temple. I could feel the muscles in my shins and lower back beginning to knot as I leaned my head to one side then the other, eliciting a series of dull pops from my neck and spine.

"Harry, are you okay?" Shilpa asked quietly almost sheepishly.

"I'm fine, just a little tired."

"Why did you do it, Harry?" She asked in the same small quiet voice, her accent giving color and depth to the question.

"Why did I do what?" I asked with a sigh, stretching my back as I turned to her.

"Why did you come to save me?"

"You're my partner and a damned good warden." I told her without thinking.

"Is that the only reason?" She asked with an odd note to her voice that I couldn't place. Somehow it seemed familiar and made me think of Molly.

"Do I need another?" I asked blankly, not sure what she was getting at.

"I was just… I thought maybe, there was a reason you came for me." She said barely audibly, her face hidden by her shiny obsidian hair.

"I came because I promised you that I'd protect you. You're going to be a great warden, you know. You have a lot of promise and a good head on your shoulders." I told her trying to be as encouraging as I could. I suspected that her quiet demeanor had to do with the fact that she'd been held by the enemy and she may be mistaking bad luck for weakness. "That and you are the only person I know who can make tea I actually like to drink." I told her with a smile at the end.

Her shoulders seemed to droop a little before she spoke again. This time her voice was clearer and more formal. "Thank you for saving me Warden Dresden. I won't forget your kindness." With that she turned away from me and got up and walked around the corner of the small room at the top of the temple and out of sight.

I watched her disappear around the dark corner as I felt a furry weight drop into my lap. Mouse looked up at me with soulful knowing eyes that seemed to be trying to imply I was missing something and then he closed them with a sad sigh. I scratched behind his ears and between his shoulders as I took inventory of what I had on hand to be ready for the fight ahead.

I was just finishing organizing my pack when a blast and high pitched shriek came from my right. It came from the corner Shilpa had disappeared behind. I was on my feet pulling on my duster and pushing power into my staff as I turned the corner. I saw Shilpa crouched at the corner of the building, leaning far enough forward to see the down the side of the temple. She was sending white bolts of force down the sides of the temple, each causing a shriek of pain from a different vampire as they tried to scramble up the temple blocks and knocking them back to the ground with heavy thuds.

I saw two of them coming up the far side, trying to hide under the cover of the brush and vines that covered this side of the temple. Although they were faster than humans, the vines and branches slowed them considerably. I didn't hesitate as I leveled my staff at them, sighting down the shaft as I compressed the anger and the rush of battle into the staff. My knuckles turned white as my lips curled, "Fuego" I hissed. With that I sent an orange sized ball into the front vampire that dared to try to accost my partner yet again this night.

The super heated ball of fire expanded quickly igniting everything in a twenty foot radius of the vampire and causing the sandstone to begin to vitrify from the heat. The vampires barely got out a shriek as the fire engulfed them and ignited their lungs as they inhaled while gasping in pain. The fire gave an orange glow to the side of the temple and the deep roar of the fire spreading unnaturally quickly through the underbrush alerted the other wardens to the intruders' presence.

Shilpa turned her attention to the next small group trying to ascend the temple and with a word a streak of brilliant silver light slammed into the vampire as a narrow cone of force catching the one behind him as well and throwing them like rag dolls into an ancient tree. The impact of their bodies sent bark and splinters and vampire innards flying in various directions and then their crushed bodies slumped to the ground.

I saw another vampire leaping from stone to stone, climbing the temple like a teenager who was late for class. I tried to hit him with a couple of bolts of fire but he was too fast, dodging just as the spell drew close. He was nearly at the top of the temple, dodging to the right as my spell went wide to the left. His foot nearly hit the top of the temple in front of Shilpa when his body impacted hard against an invisible flat surface. He hung in the air for a moment like Wile E. Coyote in a daze as the force of his jump pinned him against the shield.

"Forzare" I spat in rage and anger and sent a fist sized ball of force just below his sternum, doubling him over and snapping his spine. His eyes bulged and face twisted silently as he hurled backwards into the darkness, leaving a trail of thick oily blood as he disappeared into the forest canopy.

Two other wardens had arrived and flanked Shilpa each of them sending spells and death down on the heads of the crazed vampires. There was a shrill howl that made my ear drums ache and caused the vampires pulled back. In the darkness below I could see more of them milling about just in the tree line but all I could make out were movements not numbers or see where they were concentrated. I knew there were more than what we had seen but couldn't determine how many more.

"Fuego" I shouted and sent a beam of condensed and super heated fire into the tree line and pulled it in a line parallel to the base of temple causing screams where it penetrated into the mass of vampires and sending brilliant flames licking up into the foliage where it touched anything flammable. The fire I'd started on the far edge of the temple had spread considerably and was moving down along the edge of the ancient city consuming crumbling buildings and pushing into the ancient forest. It may have been reckless but it was a viable barrier to make the vampires think twice before advancing on this side of the temple again. The searing heat and light taking away most of their advantage.

"That should hold them off for a little bit." I grumbled glancing to see shilpa lean back sitting on her heels and looking pale.

"Hey, are you okay?" the nearest warden asked.

"I'm fine, just really tired." She replied, her words quiet she sounded exhausted. The warden gave me an exasperated look as he slipped his arm under her shoulders and lifted her.

"She's had a rough day and is not used to combat." I told him seeing her eyes half open as she fought to stand on her own, but her legs were simply too wobbly to support her.

"Let's get you over here when you'll be safe." He told her sympathetically as he half dragged her back towards where Captain Luccio and a group of wardens were set up.

A few moments later two younger wardens showed up. They watched the inferno that was quickly growing into a full blown forest fire. They looked at the blaze and glanced uneasily at me then quickly turned back to the fire and burning bodies strewn along the side of the temple. Feeling a profound sense of satisfaction, I turned away from the smoke and heat.

"I think you can take it from here." I said dryly and turned on my heel to check in with Luccio. The two new wardens didn't say anything but simply nodded in agreement and took their places next to the senior warden to keep watch.

Mouse joined me as I came around the corner and headed to the far end of the temple. Shilpa lay a few feet away from where Captain Luccio was set up and was sipping water from a metal cup. Her hands looked shaky and her lips looked thin and pale as she held the shiny cup to her mouth taking long slow sips.

"Look after her, keep her safe." I said quietly to mouse, rubbing his head. He bumped my thigh as he moved past me and then over to Shilpa. Mouse sat next to her as she leaned against the cool stone of the temple, making her look tiny and delicate in the torch and fire light. Mouse licked her face and then rested his head on her knee. Even though she was exhausted to the point of collapse, her hair was disheveled and matted to her head from sweat, somehow her smile shone like a beacon in the darkness as she reached out to pet the large pile of fur and muscle next to her. "Good boy." I thought to myself and then headed directly to Luccio.

"How are we doing?" I asked as I stepped next to the Captain.

"They seem to be holding back for some reason. They are keeping pressure on our lines but aren't trying to overrun us." She said with a scowl. "They're up to something." She said quietly to me.

As I looked around the city I noticed a mist coming in from the North. The majority of the fighting was going on in the Eastern part of the city and we had already been attacked from the West a few minutes ago. Normally fog in a rain forest, especially after dark with a large fire in the area wouldn't be terribly suspicious. This fog however seemed too dense and didn't branch out into the side streets or open areas. The fog looked like a tall, billowy, white carpet slowly rolling up to the temple.

"Captain Luccio…" I said nodding at the anomaly.

"What's this?" She asked curious.

The fog drew closer and was two maybe two and a half feet tall and about five to six feet wide as it purposefully rolled closer and closer to the temple. There didn't appear to be anything moving in the fog or any vampires crawling through it or walking in it, but it simply kept coming.

The sounds of gunfire, spells and screams seemed to intensify from the East where the bulk of the fighting was going on. Then on the West edge of the temple shouts could be heard along with the hiss of bullets and other projectiles coming over the far wall.

"Whatever they've been planning is going to happen now. Everyone be alert and stand ready." Luccio barked as she stood, pulling her cloak around her and drawing her sword and staff. We moved together to the top of the stairs of the temple and faced the mysterious fog together.

"Could it be an illusion or veil?" I asked quietly as the edge of the fog neared the steps of the temple.

"Anything's possible." She said softly.

"Everyone, stand your ground. We'll teach these bastards a lesson they won't forget." She barked bravely. Every warden in ear shot seemed to grow a few inches taller and their backs became just a little straighter.

Shilpa tried to push herself up to join us but Mouse simply stretched over her lap and legs, resting his chest on her, effectively pinning her in place and covering most of her body with his massive form and soft fur. She tried in vain to push him off and protested loudly a few times with no success before she ran out of steam and simply pulled her staff and side arm next to her giving me a truly angry glare.

As the fog touched the bottom step it stopped and the trail of fog kept rolling forward building a column slowly. Eventually the fog had grown into a cylinder ten feet in diameter and roughly seven feet tall, like a billowy column held in place by some unseen container. Then I felt a soft thrum of power as the fog began to condense.

A younger warden leveled his staff and sent a strong gust of wind down the stairs and into the fog, blowing leaves, dust and small branches flying as it went. The ground around the column was blown clean of dust and debris but the column itself seemed unaffected.

"That's enough. Wait…" Luccio barked waving for the wardens to hold their fire as they leveled staves, rods and firearms at the mist.

As if on command the column shrunk and the fog condensed quickly into three forms and after a few seconds the white mist gave way to three vampires dressed in crimson and black. In the center of the three figures stood their leader with a smug and superior look on his face and he wore a suite that looked like something John Marcone would wear. It was a good entrance, I'll have to give him that but it was his arrogant look that made me want to go down there and smack that look off his pale, pointy face.

"Stand aside wardens. I want no quarrel with you but if you stand against me, we will kill you all." He said in a cold even tone.

"Then why don't you and your friends just go back the way you came and we'll call it even." I snapped back.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. In case you haven't noticed its night now, we have the advantage. Do the smart thing warden, save your men and yourself and just leave." He said casually giving another toothy smile, his sharp fangs glinting in the fire light.

I started to speak but Luccio put a hand on my arm, so I simply replied with an indignant glare. I felt my cheeks flush as my fingers tightened around my staff, I could feel the power building in the wood with each heartbeat. I didn't like this guy and didn't take kindly to threats or being bullied by someone in designer clothes. This scum was Marcone with fangs. I had a visceral reaction to his taunts and voice. Something made me want to hurt him just for being such an ass. He must have been old because nobody can get that good at being a prick in one lifetime.

"What is your business here and who are you?" Luccio asked diplomatically.

"How rude of me, I am Duke Antuna, Third Lord of the Outer Darkness and servant to the one true king." He said giving a flourishing bow that was both smooth and graceful. Then he looked directly at Luccio and continued with that smug look again. "Our business is of no concern to you. I'm simply offering you a chance to cut your losses and free passage from this place, for one slight concession. In a time of war, with you being out numbered in enemy territory, it is a generous offer. I suggest you take it."

"What is this, slight concession you ask for?" Luccio asked suspiciously.

"Him, I want Warden Dresden. In exchange the rest of you may leave with your lives." He said pointing a long slender finger towards me.

"Trust me, you don't want him. He's nothing but trouble and eats more than you'd think." Luccio said off handedly. "Besides," She said, her voice turning serious she regarded the vampire with contempt, "I don't bargain with my wardens lives and I sure as hell don't leave them behind for the enemy."

"You can't say we didn't try." He said with a nod never taking his eyes off Luccio. His arms moved from his side and flung forward in a blur of motion. The captain's sword moved nearly as fast, parrying two copper, leaf bladed daggers. They sparked against her silvery blade and arched up and past her clanging into the wall behind her.

The two behind the Duke moved quickly to either side as he charged up the stairs directly at Luccio and I.

Automatic gun fire erupted to our left as bullets sparked in an uneven line trailing one vampire, shouts and muzzle flashes from large caliber hand guns erupted to either side as bullets and spells rained down the side of the temple.

The wardens to the West shouted and fired as a group of Patasola and crazed vampires emerged from the burning tree line and rushed the temple. We were engaged on two sides of the temple and didn't expect any reinforcements as the battle raged to the East. I sent bursts of force and fire down the side of the temple ripping the Dukes pants and burning away the shoulder of his fine suit, much to his displeasure.

He was moving fast and hard to hit, but he was coming for me and Luccio. Dukes were some of the worst of the worst when it came to vampires. They were typically the oldest, smartest and most dangerous, which is how they lived long enough to attain their position. All the same, he was just another vampire. He would bleed and burns just like the rest of them, assuming I could hit him.

Luccio mumbled something and swung with her sword, causing a large slash across the Dukes chest, sending blood spatter across his ruined suit jacket. He didn't scream or even wince. He simply narrowed his eyes and extended his arms. The skin on his hands and face split and pulled away revealing razor sharp claws and his smooth, oily face, black eyes and skin accented by a maw of razor sharp teeth and fangs.

Luccio swung again and again, quickly and nimbly slicing through his suit and flesh mask but missing any vital organs. His black blood was leaking from various cuts but that didn't stop him. instead he poured on the speed in a final burst to clear the top of the temple.

I managed to hit him with enough force to smash a minivan like an empty coke can and it only slowed him. At the last moment he veered from Luccio towards me, hitting my shield spell sending sparks from my wrist and burning my wrist as the shield failed. The vampire plowed into me, lifting me off my feet and drove me back. I turned my head looking for something to grab and stop myself. I saw the gold doors rushing towards me just before I felt more than heard the thud of our impact. For a moment I was being crushed between the vampire and the ancient sealed metal doors. There was a loud crack and pop as the doors and one of my ribs, gave way. The vampire and I burst through the doors. The pressure from the spells, explosions and vampires shoulder in my chest all mingled into a single symphony of pain for all my senses. I could feel heat, force and power all in lethal quantities, pushing my duster around my body as the Duke and I rolled into the cool musty darkness.

…. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. …. ….

I know I promised you a longer letter but I have some things that urgently require my attention. I promise I'll write again soon when I have time.

Please give my best to your family, Murphy and Thomas.

Harry


	8. Chapter 8

**"Letters from the Front"**

Chapter 8

_**Authors Note: **__ I finally finished it. After a long time of deliberating and going back and forth and system failures (hard drive with all my stories crashed and burned just before the cpu went kaputz) I am posting the final chapter of Letters from the Front. I hope you enjoy it!_

Dear Molly,

I don't know if you remember me, but we've met before. My name is Anastasia Luccio and I'm serving as the Captain of the Wardens.

Harry asked me to write this letter to you in case he couldn't. It's important for you to know that Harry fought valiantly to protect his friends and comrades in this war. It's also important for you to know that he saved many lived and stopped a menace from tearing not only this area but possibly this hemisphere to shreds.

Being his apprentice I'm sure you know how Harry is and that he would never simply lay down and let evil take its course. This battle was no different in that respect. Also, I'm sure you know that Harry tends to pick the biggest, meanest opponent in a fight...

... / ... / ... / ... / ... / ...

My eyes were filled with bright pin pricks of light, sparks from the spell and the simple pressure that had crushed into my body forcing me through the long sealed doors and wards making my vision blurry and spotty. We hadn't even stopped sliding as the vampire raised his fist and aimed it at my face. Even with his speed to his advantage, my staff was pressed into his stomach and the pain screaming in my body flooded into the staff.

"Die Wizard!" the vampire screamed as I whispered, "Forzare". Vampires are fast but spells at point blank range are instant. His fist moved as a blur as my spell lifted him and threw him up and over me, driving him head first into a wall, his body pressed flat into the wall, upside down, as he fell.

I heard the thump and rustling of clothes as he hit the ground, but it seemed to take longer than I had expected. At the same time my body was filled with pain, adrenaline and pretty much in the middle of the fight or flight reflex as I tried to right myself and turn to face his retaliation. I was able to sit up and start to turn when the pain in my side screamed at my brain with white hot agony, forcing me to stop momentarily.

I heard scurrying of fast echoing footsteps moving away from me and the smooth voice of the designer vampire, "This is far from over Wizard."

In that instant I knew I'd failed. He got past me. I wasn't his goal only a road bump between him and his goal somewhere in the bottom of the temple. Rage burned through my body as my hands tightened on my blasting rod and staff making my knuckles turn white and making the outline of the scars on my hand nearly glow in contrast to the color of other skin on my hand.

I tried to push myself up to my feet but the lose rib and other cracked ones, along with something in my back all protested at once sending a crippling amount of pain through my body. As I lay there feeling my hot sweat against the cold stone floor I tried using every pain diminishing technique I knew and still could barely use my left arm. Using sheer force of will and biting my lip till it bled, I was able to get to my feet and lumber into the darkness where my enemy had disappeared. Each step was forced, pushing through the pain to make my injured body move forward towards a formidable enemy and a nightmare that we couldn't allow into this world. "I could have gone to college, been a doctor or engineer..." I thought to myself as I blindly pushed deeper into the darkness.

I pulled the pentacle necklace from my shirt and pressed some energy into it causing a dim blue light to light my path. I saw a set of stairs ahead of me and on the wall above what would be the lower landing side a streak of fresh black oily blood. That made me smile. As I walked to the stairs and was about to descend I heard a whistle, faint at first but quickly becoming louder. Then I felt as much as heard an explosion that threw me down into the darkness. I was far enough away from the blast that the duster and distance helped me avoid any direct damage but the ten to fifteen foot fall onto the landing knocked the air out of me and made the darkness spin around me as I lost consciousness.

I found myself laying on the floor of my basement, wearing my ceremonial robes.

"Well are you just going to lay there all day Harry?" Bob asked exasperated.

"Bob?" I asked pushing myself easily up to a sitting position. The pain and fatigue was gone. I saw myself inside my circle with Bob and my huge tabby cat Mister sitting on the floor just outside the circle. Misters tail was twitching like it does when he's irritated as he just stared at me with those cat eyes.

"Very good, me Bob, you Harry. Now shall we continue?" He asked, the orange glow in his eye sockets rolling dramatically.

"Continue, with what?" I asked seriously confused.

"Harry really, if you're not going to take this seriously why are you wasting our time?" Bob asked indignantly.

"Don't start with me Bob. I've had a bad day!" I said menacingly.

"You're the one wasting our time." Mister sneered and licked a paw to smooth out his whiskers.

"What are we doing here?" I asked doing a double take at Mister, who gave me a uninterested look as he continued preening.

"Helping you make sense of yourself, really Harry you can be quite dense at times." Bob said.

"I ignore him when he's like this." Mister said casually licking his paws. "It'll come to him."

"Make sense of myself?" I asked indignantly. Just then an eagles feather fell onto my left hand.

"Really hints? Is that even fair?" Bob asked more annoyed.

"Wait, he said to find the reason and purpose..." I said quietly remembering my conversation with Listens-To-Wind as I looked around the room, seeing an ornate sand painting in and around my circle.

"I told you he'd get it eventually. The question is will he get it in time?" Mister asked in a droll tone of voice glancing at Bob.

"My life? I have to make sense of my life before I can move on. That's what he said." I said to myself more than anyone else as I turned the feather in my hand.

"Bravo, the crowd goes wild. He has a clue." Bob said sarcastically. "Now shall we begin?"

"Wait you want to go over my entire life? NOW?" I asked incredulously, remembering the burning temple and disembodied council member trying to imprison a monster with a full bodied vampire on his way to throw a monkey wrench into our plans. "This is the time you choose to put me on This is Your Life?"

"Harry, you're unconscious. It's not like you have anything better to do at the moment." Bob said ironically.

"I'm surprised he's not dead from that last blast." Mister said calmly pawing at his tail that was wrapped around in front of him.

"You never know, let's see how he's doing when he finishes. Internal bleeding may get him before he wakes up. That was a nasty concussion when he hit those gold doors." Bob said in a matter of fact tone to Mister.

"True, I'll give you that one. This will be interesting, he does have a very strong will and has survived worse in the past." Mister said finally giving me some credit.

"Yes but remember he's alone and there are more vampires than wardens at the temple." Bob retorted.

"Don't forget the Patasola, there are a ton of those guys too."

"I'd forgotten about them. Yeah, he's a goner." Bob said his skull shaking sadly.

"Guys, can we focus here!" I nearly yelled at the two.

"This is your gig Harry, we're just here for morale support. We're simply figments of your imagination. Whooo... We're not real.. Whoooo.. We're not really here..." Bob replied doing his ghost impersonation.

"Let's start with your Father." Mister said calmly ignoring Bob and sounding like a first year psychology student.

"He died." I said indignantly. Sneering at Bob.

"Why?" Asked Bob.

"He just did." I said not wanting to talk about the particulars.

"What was the purpose?" Mister asked.

"What purpose. There is no purpose to death. It just happens." I said angrily.

"Not true, but let's try this another way. How did it change your life?" Bob asked as if talking about a math problem to a grade school child.

"It left me sad and alone. I went to an orphanage." I said remembering the poor conditions there.

"There you go, we're making progress. Then what happened?"

"I was adopted." I said remembering the day I left the orphanage, dreaming of a new life with someone who was going to look out for me. Boy did I have that one wrong.

"You weren't the only one adopted though were you?" Mister asked paying attention now.

"No, Elaine was adopted too. He adopted her first, then me. She was my first... Everything..." I said quietly.

"While you two were together what did you learn?" Bob asked coaxingly.

"Magic and things..." I said remembering when we would sneak away together.

"Magic and that pain can be used as a motivator."

"Oh yes, I learned all about pain." I said remembering learning how to manage and control pain with my mind. It was a hard lesson but I tend to use that technique a lot these days.

"And how did that end?" Bob asked quietly.

"Poorly. I killed Justin and burned the place to the ground and lost Elaine as well." I said feeling the pangs of guilt.

"What was the reason for that?"

"He was trying to enthrall us, he already had Elaine. I was fighting for my life, my freedom." I said defensively.

"And what was the purpose of this part of your life?" Mister asked, not really sounding like he cared about the answer.

"I learned magic and that I can only really rely on myself." I said sternly.

"But you were angry correct?"

"Hell yes I was angry. Justin violated our trust, hurt us and tried to bend our minds and powers to his will. Who wouldn't be angry!"

"Why did you kill Elaine?" Mister asked off handedly.

"It was an accident. I never intended to hurt her."

"Did you see her die? Did you watch the lights go out in her eyes?" Mister asked pointedly.

"No. I couldn't even find her body in the debris when it was over." I said feeling anger welling up inside wanting to strangle the cat.

"No body, no crime. You don't even know for sure she died, much less have 'killed' her. If she's dead isn't it because Justin had invaded and scrambled her mind? If she didn't get out of a burning building isn't it in fact his fault and not yours?" Mister pressed sounding nearly interested as he blithely spouted facts and supposition.

"Yes. The fire was an accident too." I said seeing his point. I started the fire while fighting Justin to avoid being turned into some sort of zombie. It's not like I killed her directly. If I hadn't fought Justine we would both be zombies and likely dead by now. The fire was an accident, my spell went out of control. I didn't mean to torch the place.

"Good, good. Now what would have happened if you had found Elaine and saved her?" Mister asked.

"I would have stayed with her and taken care of her, protected her. We'd have been together." I said quietly.

"Instead what happened?"

"I was tried by the white council and put under the doom of Damocles instead of being executed." I said thinking back to that empty warehouse with the wardens ready to take my head.

"Who saved you and why?" Bob asked.

"Wizard McCoy saved me and I'm not sure why. I think because he saw something good in me."

"What did you learn from him?" Mister asked his ears perking up.

"I learned patience and respect, for myself, others and magic. I learned magic isn't always the answer. He taught me to respect magic and what it truly is and how it is to be used. I learned how to be a man and that true courage isn't the absence of fear but doing what's right anyway when you're terrified." I said remembering the lessons with the cantankerous old wizard. He wasn't the warm fuzzy type but he was kind and good to me. He taught me that it's okay to screw up if you can admit it and fix things when you're done.

"Were you still angry when you left his care?" Bob asked.

"Not so much, I was more hopeful."

"So Justin taught you to rely on yourself and that pain, terrible pain is a part of life. Then McCoy gave you hope and confidence to put that pain aside and continue on. He taught you to trust people again but to still rely on yourself?"

"Something like that."

"If you had stayed with Elaine, would you have been safe?"

"No, there were wardens chasing us."

"When they found you and they would have found you both, would you have fought them to protect her?"

"Of course! I loved her."

"Knowing what you do now, do you think you would have won that fight?"

"No, not against Morgan and his men. Not then, I was too young."

"So you would have both fought, most likely to the death. Is that right?"

"Probably."

"So given that, what was the purpose of you going to McCoy?"

"To live and become a better person?" I asked lamely.

"Very good Harry." Bob said sounding almost genuinely excited.

"Do you think that's what Susan saw in you?" Mister asked ironically.

"At first I was just a source for her stories, but later, yes. I think she loved me knowing who I am."

"If she had stayed, since she's half vampire, would you be watching and protecting her as you would have with Elaine?"

"Probably."

"Then you wouldn't be here fighting these vampires and the thing in the bottom of the temple?"

"I don't know, maybe she'd be with me, fighting by my side." I said not happy with this question.

"With all the human blood being spilled? Do you think Capt. Luccio would approve of that? Would you?" Bob asked.

"No." I said knowing he was right.

"So if things had been different you wouldn't be here now would you?" Mister asked now looking at me meaningfully.

"No, probably not."

"Why are you in the temple fighting?" Bob asked his eyes brighter. "Let me rephrase that. Why do you fight at all Harry? What are you fighting for?"

"I fight to protect my friends and the innocents around me. I fight to protect the little guy from the ugly bastards who want to feed on them." I said indignantly.

"Why?"

"Because if I don't who will?"

"I think we're done here." Bob said with a toothy smile to Mister.

"One last thing." Mister said, turning to me again. "What do you fight with?"

"What?"

"We were so close too." Bob said with a sigh, the lights dimming in his eye sockets.

"I fight with my staff, rod, gun and anything else I can get to take the bastards down." I said ignoring Bob.

"Not so literal, when you use magic, what do you use to fight with?" Mister asked calmly.

"My emotions, magic, soulfire and my mind, concentration." I replied.

"But why do you win?"

"Because I don't quit, I refuse to stop until those around me are safe."

"But why do you do that?" Mister asked, his form becoming vague and blurred.

"Because I know I have to. I know I can." I felt a pain in my head and side as the room began to dim quickly turning to pitch black. I could feel the grit of granite against my teeth and the warmth of blood on my cheek.

"Voila. He's got it. Now if he can only figure out what that means..." I heard Bobs voice say becoming distant as it trailed off.

My head ached, my body burned and ached with intense pain as I regained full consciousness. I took a quick inventory of my extremities and found them all there, some worse for wear but all were present and accounted for. I rolled to my back feeling a few bones shifting oddly in the process sending new pain signals to my brain.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, stuffing the pain and any doubts into a small room in the back of my brain and locked the door.

"I'm here because I'm supposed to be here. I'm here because if I don't do this nobody else will." I told myself feeling the energy beginning to well up inside me, "I'm here to stop this smug monster and his outsider girlfriend." I told myself, pushing the remaining pain and fatigue aside.

"I'm Harry Dresden and I'm here to chew bubblegum and kick ass!" I said sitting up and using my rod to push myself to my feet. "And I'm clean out of bubblegum!"

With that I pushed power into my pentacle amulet and it immediately lit up a bright blue, illuminating a good portion of the room. I quickly found the top of the next flight of stairs and quickly descended deeper into the temple.

I went down multiple flights of stairs with my foot falls and their echo's being the only sound besides the blood rushing in my ears. Finally As I started down another flight of stairs I heard what sounded like voices. I slowed my pace and moved as stealthily as possible clinging to the shadows as I came closer to a dim light and the source of the voices.

As I came to a corner of a large narrow room I saw light pouring from the door. I slide up next to the wall next to the doorway and listened.

"I've just killed a bunch of wizards, what makes me think I won't kill you? I have no intention of keeping this lovely creature confined one more day. You simply need to run away. You didn't help the villagers when we took this village all those years ago. Why protect a deserted city now? What's the point?" The vampire asked smoothly, trying to convince the young shapely woman wearing a peasant's shift.

"I will not allow this creature to roam freely to destroy this land yet again. You simply took the villagers as food, like they would take a deer. You unwisely decimated your food source here but that's not my concern. It was a human affair." She said, her fingers still working on unseen threads of power as she spoke to the vampire. His flesh mask had fallen off him, or maybe he shrugged it off to try to intimidate the ancient guardian, but either way he stood there with his oily black skin glistening in the conjured light.

"What if we promise to not allow him to destroy these lands, only the humans? Can we agree to that?" He asked his gleaming white fangs stark against the tarlike skin of his lips that curled when he talked.

"It's gone too far. You can't possibly control him and I've made a promise to one of these humans that I'd fulfill my duty to keep this creature contained."

"I assure you, we've learned from our mistakes. True when we called to it originally we weren't able to hold it as we thought, but now we have learned how to control it effectively."

"Even with your limited power, your kind will never be able to compel this creature. Don't you see that? The best my kind could do was contain it and we are much older and stronger than your race." The girl asked earnestly.

"Don't flatter yourself crone. We have grown much since our last encounter." He said smugly. "Now stand aside or die."

"If you try to stop me now you will surely kill us both." The woman hissed at the vampire. "I am not afraid of death but you would never do anything to risk your own life. Now be gone and leave me to my work."

"I'm not afraid of this creature and I will not let you stand in my way." The vampire replied and began to circle the room avoiding the wards, letting his claws scrape against the walls as he moved closer to the image of the woman. Her hands moving quickly and expertly as the vampire glared, moving ever closer.

Somehow my head was clear and calm as the vampire stared at the young woman, moving slowly closer toward her and me as it circled the room. It's attention was only on the creature trying to restore the wards. I pushed power into my shield bracelet and staff, readying them for the fight to come.

I began breathing deeply and slowly, being as quiet as possible as the vampire reached the doorway I was hiding at, as his back reached the center of the door I pivoted on my foot to stand facing his back.

"Do you have any bubblegum?" I asked politely.

The vampires head snapped in my direction as he turned at the hips towards me. His eyes wide with surprise as I brought the tip of my staff up hard under his jaw. "Neither do I." I said, pushing hard on the top of the staff, bringing the base up to slam into his jaw again as his head snapped back down. There was a sick crunch as his jaw broke.

I stepped back and then shoved the butt of my staff into his chest with my weight and momentum backing the blow, the vampires shoulder came forward as he was shoved back several feet. A shriek of pain and rage tore from his broken maw as he quickly caught his balance and drew his claws up for a strike.

Having caught him off guard and given him a couple sucker punches in a short amount of time, he was a little dazed and not as fast as he was before. That gave me an edge that I wasn't going to let pass. I poured more power and sheer will into the staff and barked, "Fuego!"

A stream of white hot fire, mixed with a touch of soulfire poured from the butt of my staff catching the vampire square in the chest. His skin broke and curled away from the flames as it quickly caught on fire, pouring black acrid smoke into the doorway. I didn't let up pushing more power into the beam as his claws instinctively flashed out toward me to find only the stream of fire that severed his claws from his hand, setting both on fire. The vampire screeched and flailed it's arms in rage and anger, possibly trying to bludgeon me to death, but more likely instinctively simply trying to strike out at the source of its pain and imminent death. Gouts of black blood were spouting from its chest, ignited by the flames that were starting to engulf its chest and stomach.

The vampires face, twisted in pain and near insanity, it let out an unearthly howl that made my skin crawl and rushed the door where I stood. Ready for this, I called a quarter sphere shield to fill the doorway in front of my and leveled my blasting rod. The vampire impacted the shield hard, nearly collapsing it and giving my wrist a sharp spark and burn as the bracelet struggled to hold the shield.

"Forzare" I barked at the desperate creature and sent a solid fist sized ball of force squarely into its face. The crunch and snap of facial bones being broken filled the room and the vampire was thrown back in a high arc.

"No, you fool!" Screamed the image of Molly standing across the room from me, waving her hands frantically as the burning body hit the floor. Its head and shoulders covered part of the first few circles on impact and then slid to cover even more. Before it stopped moving the top of the head simply vaporized as it touched one of the inner circles. The vampires blood and brain matter burst forth to splatter over other sigils and parts of the wards. Effectively bringing them down all at once.

The ground and temple shook violently as a wave of energy that had been pent up for centuries was released. It knocked me to the ground and into the other room, the nearby wall and shield taking the brunt of the blow. I came to a stop as my back slapped hard into the wall just under the stairway I had come down.

"I am free!" bellowed the outsider, shaking the temple even more as it's voice literally tore through the wall he was facing, blowing a sizeable hole and thousands of pounds of supporting granite blocks into the street next to the temple. The pressure from the sound alone was dizzying and I could feel a trickle of blood flowing from my ears before it was done.

With a swipe of his hand more granite was blown free and the street was showered with fast moving stone and dust anywhere from basketball sized to tiny splinters. Vampires shrieked in pain and the screams of a few wardens could be heard as the wall simply exploded outward. The wardens on the temple quickly moved to the far side and between blasts of gun fire and spells, the quickly scrambled down the temple as it began to collapse in on itself.

"Now, finally I will finish what I started all those years ago!" The outsiders voice boomed as he began to grow. His arms swiping and swatting at the stone of the temple as he grew to nearly twenty feet tall. The stones exploded and the debris was thrown into the air giving a sparkling dust in the moonlight as it marched into the street.

Dazed and quickly rethinking my game plan, I pushed myself to my feet and brushed the dust and debris from my duster. I quickly climbed the stairs to the room above as chunks of rock the size of my head were still falling from the ceiling between me and the opening that Mr. Bug and Ugly hand just created. Upstairs the far wall and surrounding floor hand gaping holes above where the outsider had created his own exit. The wall and floors near there were still holding but only just. Dust and debris were falling from the ceiling on this level, threatening to collapse at any moment. So I did what any sane person would do.

I called up a half dome shield around me, using one of my last intact shields and ran like a mad man for the far side. I almost made it to the hole when the floor about ten feet from the hole began to crumble. I pushed off with all my might and the force of my jump just before my foot left the floor, broke the section of floor sending it smashing into the ground some twenty feet below. My shield spell is good for stopping things from landing on me, but doesn't do much for helping me land when I'm falling. I found myself in mid air above a jagged pile of shattered rocks and falling fast when my momentum gave out. In the game I play with the alphas they have a handy spell called, 'falling leaf' that allowed you to slowly drift down to the ground like a leaf on the wind. I had always meant to research that spell for real life situations, like this, but it was still on my to-do list. I think it's right above, 'stop procrastinating'.

So like a grown wizard, I clamped my eyes shut and curled up into a ball and was about to scream like a little girl when I felt myself slow, considerably. I felt like I was sitting on a cloud. I opened my eyes and saw that I was drifting slowly at about a forty-five degree angle toward the ground behind and away from the outsider.

"Now your world will feel the true wrath of an outsider!" bellowed the creature, the force of his voice toppling broken walls and snapping branches and small trees over a hundred feet away. The group of mostly vampires in front of him were holding their ears, well they pressed their claws over the holes they have that pass for ears at any rate. The few wardens were either passed out or in a fetal position trying to stuff the fringe of their cloaks into their ears.

"Children of darkness, you alone came to free me. Bow down to your new master and you shall be spared." his voice boomed into the night. Nearly every vampire dropped to their bellies before the beast. Those that were lost to blood lust were devouring fallen bodies or licking from the pools of blood that had formed around the fallen wardens in the stone buildings. Disgusted at their site the monster waved his hand and those left standing exploded in balls of red flame, their bodies consumed by the flame before the pieces reached the ground.

The groups of wardens had slowly began to move together with the exception of a few deserters who had made a beeline for the safety of the woods. I wasn't surprised to Henderson's red hair and gray senior wardens cloak disappear into the bushes just before my feet touched solid ground lightly. In a cold, calculated way I understood what he was doing. Living to fight another day seems like a good idea sometimes. What turned my stomach was that he was willing to leave so many of his comrades in harm's way as he beat a hasty retreat. I guess he considered us as collateral damage or acceptable losses.

Somewhere in the back of my mind a voice rang into my head, "Why are you here?" it asked calmly. Without hesitation I answered it back just as clearly, "I'm supposed to be here to protect my friends." As that thought reverberated in my head I felt a new rush of vitality and energy rush into my body. It may have been all in my head but my body stopped hurting and I felt myself stand up taller than before. I saw the monster turning to face my comrades.

"You were here to help my captors. Who among you will die first..." It mused with a toothy evil grin.

"Why don't you start with me you bloated ego-maniac?" I shouted stepping into the street.

"You?" It sneered looking at me. "You are the one who set me free. I was thinking of sparing you to be my fool." He said facing me squarely.

"I'm nobody's fool." I said coldly.

"Then you meant to free me?" He asked chuckling, the weight of his voice made the ground vibrate under my feet.

"Let's say it was an unforeseen consequence of dispatching your liberator." I said hoping nobody would guess what that meant, but judging by Anna and Shilpa's faces, they got it. Both were shaking their heads but at least Shilpa was kind enough to drop her head and let her hair cover her eyes.

"Are you really so stupid as to face me alone?" He roared with laughter, tearing the tops from trees with the force of his voice as he threw his head back.

"Funny I was about to ask you the same thing!" I snarled back, mostly because, "Stupid is as stupid does." didn't seem to fit the situation.

"Well then my tiny foe, let's see what you've got." he said leveling the full weight of his gaze on me. It felt something between being pressed in a hydraulic press and being hit by a really big truck. The odd thing is it wasn't a physical pain but more having his intention and focus on my carried a considerable psychic weight. It was like his essence could not be contained in the mortal albeit huge body he inhabited. That's when an idea hit me. I'm not sure if the memory was his or mine but I remember seeing the intricate circles on the floor around him, at the time I could only make out about half of what was there but now for some reason I understood them the more I concentrated on them.

"Fine, give me a second." I said and started drawing a few circles in the ground.

"I am immortal you putrid scum, take all the time you want." he roared honestly amused that such a tiny gnat of a creature would stand up to him.

"Since you have the upper hand, do you mind if I start first?" I asked offhandedly, glancing at the towering being who had only a millennia or so ago had laid waste to most of this region.

"Behold my worthy foe!" He stretched his hands towards me and roared with laughter, "You may have the first blow. I look forward to your attack." He said, nearly doubling over with laughter.

My staff was moving fast and furiously as I moved around the circle checking each rune and sigil as I scratched them into the ground adding a few new runes and sigils of my own as I went. Finally I had finished and stepped into the circle and activated the inner circle. I sat down cross legged in the circle and closed my eyes and concentrated. Soon I could feel the thrum of magic in the circle as my mind and intention twined it like ropes, binding it and condensing it more and more as I continued to pull yet more power that was still draining from the ancient containment area only a few yards away.

"Captain Luccio?" Shilpa whispered softly, "Has Harry gone mad?"

"Normally I'd say yes," Luccio whispered in reply as a warm smile spread across her lips, "But I've seen that look in his eyes before. I don't know what he has planned but this should be good." Luccio told her. Then turning with a concerned look on her face she tapped the wardens closest to her on the shoulder. "We should find cover..." she said in earnest. With that the other wardens spread the word and the wardens began to inch farther down the street into the darkness of the night and behind big trees or sturdy walls as the outsiders attention was focused upon Harry.

"Here we go." I said to myself as I opened my eyes and broke the first circle, sending a huge amount of energy condensed into one intention, entering his mind. Since his essence radiated from his body, I had considered his mind may also be as vast and barely contained. I wasn't far from the truth. Although I had no hope of controlling this being or dominating his mind, that wasn't my intention. His mind was at least as huge and powerful as I had imagined, knowing what I was looking for seemed to help a lot as images and memories started to pour into my head as I sifted through time without end of memories. What I needed was in some of what it would consider the most recent.

The outsider was dazed for a moment, and only a moment. Shocked that I would dare enter his mind I felt him drawing power for an attack that would pop my head like a twelve volt light bulb put into a regular light socket. One of the beauties and fatal flaws of psychic attack is they are usually nearly instant. I was lucky and was able to invoke my second circle as he blasted at me with the pure energy of his being. He had no need to draw power from his surroundings as he was nearly pure energy himself simply encased in a corporal form.

The second circle quickly and efficiently turned his energy into magic, strong magic that swirled and poured into me. Drawing from his memories I began speaking in a language I don't know. I simply held the images of the runes and sigils in my head and my mouth translated. With each ancient word a gold sigil would appear around, above or below him. He screamed in rage trying to destroy me and my tiny circles but only added more and more power to do my bidding. As the images flowed through my brain my mouth began to speak faster in the guttural language that human vocal cords could hardly do justice to. The images of the path he took to enter our world was made clear to me as was the path for him to exit. I was speaking the words of the exit path tied to his being through his own power that flowed around me. I saw time and space without end, I saw universes swirling in a void of infinite power and the beings who called that place home. Beings of intellect and ego the likes of which our universe could barely hold without splitting at the seams. I saw the perfection of the universe and beyond, for a brief moment I could see everything in perfect focus, how every piece fit exactly into place. Every event in space and time those that happened and those that did not and why. In that moment my mouth uttered the last and final word of the spell that would expel the creature from our world. I vaguely remember a sphere thirty feet in diameter imploding instantly and completely in on itself and the outsider. After that everything sort of went dark.

When I woke I was laying on a feather bed in what at first I assumed was a dark room. Then I noticed that there were stars above me, not the reflection of lights on a ceiling. I tried to pick out a constellation that I recognized but wasn't able to. That was when I felt a presence beside me.

"You truly are an idiot." He said with an odd kindness in his voice. "What were you thinking trying such a bone headed stunt?" The gatekeeper asked in a kind and gentle voice.

It was then my eyes focused on the dark hood and one eye of my companion. His face was mostly hidden beneath the heavy hood, but I could make out a smile and twinkle in his good eye.

"I was thinking it was that or nothing. I had to try to do something to avoid a slaughter of biblical proportions that was to start with my friends." I said honestly.

"Harry, you dispatched the outsider using his own power against him. That was a truly ingenious and incredibly stupid thing to do. I dare say if you hadn't had your mothers talisman and your gift, you would have died." He said gravely.

"Talisman?" I asked clutching the pentagram on my chest.

"Yes, your mother got it from the Fae and at no small price to herself. She got it for you." he said gazing at the silver pentagram. "It holds more than simply sentimental value. You must treasure and protect it."

"You mentioned a gift. What special gift do I have?" I asked.

"Your mind. As crazy as that sounds given your past history. Your mind is special Harry. You were able to look into the eye of creation and it looked back. This would either kill or drive any other person insane, but you embraced it and it embraced you." He said smiling. "I may get to retire after all."

"Wait.. what?" I asked confused and scared at the implication.

"Don't think on it for now Harry. I had to pull a lot of information out of your head in order to get you to wake. What little of the incident I left will take you years to process. We can talk more when you're ready." He said and laid his palm over my eyes as I was swept away by a sea of blackness.

When I woke again I was in Edinburgh, in the infirmary. I was parched and kind of woozy and my eyes didn't want to open.

"Harry?" I heard a familiar voice say.

"Present." I mumbled and tried to raise my hand only to send a series of sharp pains through my head and body.

"He's awake!" the feminine voice said in a lilting accent, calling to one of the nurses on duty.

"Who Dresden?" the nurse asked in a brusque voice. "Let me see." she said bustling to my bedside and leaning over me, pressing on my injured arm in the process.

"Easy on the goods." I gasped my throat as dry as the Sahara desert. I tried in vain to sit up, only to be gently pushed back down onto the bed.

"Down boy. I'll get you some water, you just lay back and take it easy." the heavyset nurse said as she stepped back and started taking my vital signs. Then she hurried off somewhere down the hall, where I hoped vaguely that there was a coke machine.

"Harry, how do you feel?" Shilpa asked softly as she took my hand gently into hers.

"Like I played chicken with a freight train and lost." I said trying to smirk. She obviously didn't get the reference but smiled kindly assuming it was a joke.

"What happened back there? My memory is pretty sketchy. Since we're both here I'm guessing something worked." I said trying to remember what happened after I called the thing into the street.

"Well I'm not quite sure. You were drawing circles with a mad look in your eyes and we took cover. There was an explosion and it was gone, along with everything in a 200' radius, except for you still lying in your circle." She said calmly. "Honestly nobody knew what to make of it."

"What about the raid?" I asked.

"Well after this battle they decided that we should wait and research the area a little better before sending another strike team into that part of the jungle." She said with a smile gently shaking her head.

"So everyone made it out okay?" I asked noticing that there were few other beds filled near me.

"Everyone else is just fine." She said smiling brightly.

"Where's Mouse?" I asked not seeing him at my bed side sort of made me feel neglected.

"He's with Captain Luccio. He wouldn't leave your side until she ordered him to wait outside. The nurse in the operating room was throwing an absolute fit and he just ignored her and plopped down at the foot of the bed." She said giggling softly.

"Man's best friend." I said softly with a grin, imagining the scene in my head.

"Harry!" said another familiar voice. I could hear quick foot falls heading towards my bed and could make out Anastasia's form coming down the hallway double time with her cloak and hair flowing behind her. "Shilpa, is he awake?" She asked hurriedly as she approached and pulled the curtain back to look at me from the foot of my bed.

"Yes Captain, I'm awake." I said with a grin, expecting to see relief on her face, instead I only saw a look of dread. "Anna, what's wrong?"

"Um.. You really should call Molly when you feel up to it." She said timidly.

... / ... / ... / ... / ... /...

In short, I regret to inform you that although his brave and courageous actions saved the lives of everyone in his battle group from certain death, Harry has sustained what the doctors are calling severe and irreversible brain damage. He is resting comfortably and is receiving the best care that the white council can provide and making every effort to restore him. Unfortunately the prognosis is bleak at best.

I sorrowfully suggest that you get his affairs and personal effects in order as the damaged done can only be described as severe.

You will be informed when and where the dedication of his memorial will be once it's scheduled.

Sincerely yours,

Capt. Anastasia Luccio


End file.
